
ARLY VOYAGES UP AND 
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI, 

by Cavelier, St. Cosme, Le 
Sueur, Gravier, and Guignas. With 
an Introduction, Notes, and an Index by 
John Gilmary Shea. 




Class _T~^ Z5Z 
Book_ .Src, 



EARLY VOYAGES 

UP AND DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI, 

BY 

CAVELIER, ST. COSME, LE SUEUR, 
GRAVIER, AND GUIGNAS. 

With an Introduction ^ Notes ^ and an Index^ 

By JOHN GILMARY SHEA. 




ALBANY : 
JOEL MUNSELL. 
1861 



Five hundred copies 
reprinted for 

Joseph McDonough 

Albany, N. Y. 

I go 2 



No. ^3.J//i_C^^ 



TO THE 

MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, AND IOWA 
HISTORICAL SOCIETIES, 

AS A TOKEN OF MEMBERSHIP, 

THIS VOLUME IS OFFERED 

BY 

JOHN GILMARY SHEA. 



CONTENTS. 

Page, 

Preface, ------ --^ 

Introdudion, ------ j 

I. Cavelier's account of La Salle's Voyage to the 

Mouth of the Mifliflippi ; his landing in 
Texas and march to the Miffiffippi, 13 

II. Voyage down the Miffiffippi in 1699, ^7 ^^^ 

Rev. Meffi-s. Montigny, St. Cofme, Da- 
vion and Thaumur de la Source, - - 43 

III. Le Sueur's Voyage up the Miffiffippi in 

1699-1700, ----- 87 

IV. Gravier's Voyage down and up the Miffif- 

fippi in 1700, - - - - 113 

V. Guignas's Voyage up the Miffiffippi, - 165 
Appendix, Letter of La Salle from Texas, 177 



B 



■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■tiimif ■^■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■w««i«»j»» 




PREFACE. 




%HE Narratives colleEied in 
this Volume form a Sequel to 
thofe Accounts already publijhed of 
the Explorations under Marquette 
and ha Salle^^ and refer chiefly to the Mo- 
ment of the permanent French Occupation 
of the Lower Mijftjftppi, They are derived 
from various Sources, The Journal of Mr, 
John Cavelier^ La Salle's Brother^ though 
fpoken of by Joutel^ remained unpublijhed 
till Mr, Francis Parkman allowed me to 
Print it from a Manufcript in his Pojfeffton, 
The Letters of Mr. de Montigni of the Se- 
minary of ^ebec and his Ajjociates^ I owe to 



viii Preface. 

the Kindnefs of the fame Friend, Le Sueur s 
Voyage is taken from Benard de la Harpe^ 
already in Print, The Voyage of Gravier 
is from the limited Edition printed from the 
Manufcript in the Profejfed Houfe in Paris. 
The Letter of Father Guignas^ detailing as 
it does the Eflablijhment of Fort Beauharnats 
at Lake Pepin^ was furnijhed to me by the 
Kindnefs of J. Carfon Brevoort^ Efq, 

While this Volume was printing,^ Col. 
Delafield fent me Tomajfys Geologic Pra- 
tique de la Louifiane, which I had been 
unable to procure here in Seafon^ and fro7n 
it I extraSied the Letter of La Salle s given 
in the Appendix,^ and which refers dire&ly 
to the fir fl Article. 

New York, 1861. 




INTRODUCTION. 




ANY a river lives embalmed in 
hiftory and in hiftorick verfe. 
The Euphrates, the Nile, the 
Jordan, the Tiber and the Rhine 
typify the courfe of empires and 
dynafties. Countries have been 
defcribed per jiumina^ but thefe ftreams poffefs 
renown rather from fome city that frowned on 
their currents, or fome battle fought and won on 
their banks. The great River of our Weft, from 
its immenfe length and the ftill increafing import- 
ance of its valley, polfeffes a hiftory of its own. Its 
difcovery by the Spanifti adventurers, a Cabeza de 
Vaca, a de Soto, a Triftan, who reached, crofted, or 
followed it, is its period of early romance, brilliant, 
brief, and tragick. Its exploration by Marquette 
and La Salle follows, work of patient endurance and 



viii IntroduEiion. 

inveftigation, ftill tinged with that hght of heroifm 
that hovers around all who ftruggle through diffi- 
culty and adverfity to attain a great and ufeful end. 
Then come the early voyages depicting the fucceffive 
ftages of its banks from a wildernefs to civilization. 

The death of La Salle in Texas in his attempt 
to reach Illinois clofes the chapter of exploration. 
Iberville opens a new period by his voyage to the 
mouth of the Miffiffippi, which crowning the pre- 
vious efforts gave the valley of the great river to 
civilization, Chriftianity and progrefs. The river 
had become an objed: of rivalry. Englifh, French 
and Spanifh at the fame moment fought to fecure 
its mouth, but fortune favored the bold Canadian, 
and the white flag reared by La Salle was planted 
anew. 

Here our narratives begin. Cavelier's is a page of 
the previous chapter; with ftrange details and 
doubtful authenticity, marked, like every other ac- 
count of La Salle's career, with a note of fufpicion, 
yet curious and ftrange. Did La Salle acftually 
reach the Miffiffippi prior to his death, as here 
aflerted } We may doubt it. 

After Cavelier and Joutel reached Illinois to de- 
ceive Tonti by reprefenting La Salle as alive, that 



IntroduSiion, ix 

noble veteran defcended the river to relieve his 
commanded but in vain. 

Traders then doubtlefs drifted down to barter for 
furs, but v^re have no narrative till that of the mif- 
fionary party led by M. de Montigny, who in 1698 
fet out to evangelize the tribes of the lower Milfif- 
fippi. Impetuous, ardent, but eafily difcouraged, 
the leader foon loft heart, and involved in difputes 
which he did not forefee, fought a remote field in 
Afia for his zeal, to be plunged in troubles even 
more vexatious. But his companions remained to 
labor on the banks of the Mifliffippi, St. Cofme to 
die at laft by the hand of the red man, Davion and 
de la Source to labour and to wait 

Iberville arrives. His narrative would here find 
a place, but it is a volume in itfelf. The news of 
his landing fpread from tribe to tribe. The north- 
ern nations, led by the golden promifes of La Salle, 
expedled all blefTings from this ftep. The Illinois 
prepared to move in a body to the lower Miffiffippi. 
Gravier checks their mad projed: and floats down 
in his canoe to fee how matters are. His journal, 
like the letters of St. Cofme and his companions, 
defcribe the river and the tribes upon it, as he 
found t.hem at this important moment in the hiflory 



X. Introdu&wn. 

of the river. His next voyage down was to feek 
in the new colony furgical affiftance for wounds 
which the medicine men had inflicted, and which 
baffling the fkill of the phyfician proved fatal to the 
miflionary. 

Befides Iberville's own account and as a pendant 
to it, comes the voyage from the mouth of the 
MifTifTippi to the Blue Earth, effeded in canoe by 
the intrepid Le Sueur. Fortunately Benard de la 
Harpe has preferved this, and it blends with the 
others to give a complete pidure of the river. 

Then for Tome years itineraries of the MifTifTippi 
fail us, and we have accounts of portions only. 
The Urfulines defcribe briefly the voyage to New 
Orleans, others do the fame; an officer in the 
Chickafaw war details day by day the march up the 
river to Fort AfTumption. The letter of Guignas 
follows in part the track of Le Sueur, and records 
the planting of Fort Beauharnais. 

At the moment when thefe narratives take us to 
the valley of the Miffiffippi that immenfe territory 
prefented a ftrange contrafi: to its prefent condition. 
From its head waters amid the lakes of Minnefota 
to its mouth ; from its weftern fprings in the heart 
of the Rocky mountains to its eaftern cradle in the 



IntroduEiion. xi 

'Alleghanies, all was yet in its primeval ftate. The 
Europeans had but one fpot, Tonty's little fort; no 
white men roamed it but the trader or the miffion- 
ary. With a fparfe and fcattered Indian population, 
the country, teeming with buffalo, deer and game, 
was a fcene of plenty. The Indian has vanifhed 
from its banks with the game that he purfued. 
The valley numbers as many ftates now as it did 
white men then ; a bufy, enterprifing, adventurous 
population, numbering its millions, has fwept away 
the unprogreflive and unaffimilating red man. The 
languages of the Illinois, the Quapaw, the Tonica, 
the Natchez, the Ouma, are heard no more by the 
banks of the great water; no calumet now throws 
round the traveller its charmed power; the white 
banner of France floated long to the breeze, but with 
the flag of England and the ftandard of Spain all dif- 
appeared we may fay within a century. For fifty 
years, one fingle flag met the eye, and appealed to the 
heart of the inhabitants of the fhores of the Miffif- 
lippi. Two now divide it : let us hope that the 
altered flag may foon refume its original form, and 
meet the heart's warm refponfe at the mouth as at 
the fource of the Mifliflippi. 



I. 

CAVELIER'S ACCOUNT 

OP 

LA SALLE'S VOYAGE 



TO THE 



MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI, HIS LANDING IX 
TEXAS, AND MARCH TO THE MISSISSIPPI. 




RELATION 

OF 

M. CAVELIER. 



ONSEIGNEUR : 

You have here the Relation Jg"g>' 
of the Voyage undertaken by my 
brother^ to difcover in the Gulf 
of Mexico the Mouth of the 
Miffiffipy. An unexpeded and 
tragical death having prevented 
his completing it, and reporting to your Lordfliip, 
you will, I truft, approve of my taking his place. 




1 The Rev. John Cavclier, 
brother of La Salle, was born at 
Rouen. Of his early life and en- 
trance into the community of St. 
Sulpice, I find no account. After 
the death of his brother, he with 
Joutel and Father Anaftatius made 
his way to Canada, and thence to 
France, concealing the fate of La 
Salle, it is faid, for upwards of two 
years. He applied to the Court to 
fend out a new expedition, and fail- 



ing in this he retired to Rouen, to 
the houfe of his fifter, Mary Mag- 
dalen Cavelier, wife of the Sieur 
Fortin or Le Foreftier, Secretary to 
the King, and died there after 1 7 1 7. 

" Robert Cavelier de la Salle, 
was born at Rouen in Normandy, 
of a rich and ancient family, and 
after receiving a good education 
entered the King's fervice. The 
ftatement made by the late edi- 



i6 



La Salle s Laji Voyage. 



J^Jy In the month of July, 1 684,3 we left la Rochelle 
in four vefTels with very fine weather. The feafon 
feemed to promife us a continuance thereof, and 
(hould not in all probability lead us to fear either 



tions of Hennepin, that he enter- 
ed the Society of Jefus and thus 
loft his fhare in his father's eftate, 
feems, like other ftatements of that 
work, unreliable. An examination 
of all the annual catalogues of all 
the French provinces of the epoch, 
(hows no fuch name among the 
novices or fcholaftics. The pre- 
ceding note and this narrative men- 
tion all his relatives of whom any 
account is given. He came to Ca- 
nada about 1668, and an appa- 
rently apocryphal account makes 
him foon after difcover and defcend 
the Ohio (feeDuffieux, Le Canada 
fous le domination Francaife). As 
a trader he voyaged extenfively on 
the Lakes, and built a trading houfe 
at La Chine, which owes its name 
to him, an index of his defires. 
His firft official employment was to 
vifit the Senecas, and invite them to 
a general Congrefs of the tribes. 
He had gained the good will of 
Frontenac and propofed to him vaft 
plans of difcovery and trade, which 
received his fandion. The French 
Court in 1 6/ 5, granted him Fort 
Frontenac and the feigneury, on 
condition of keeping it in repair, 
maintaining a garrifon and clearing 
the land. He obtained alfo a pa- 
tent of noblefie. For a time he 
pufhed forward trade and coloniza- 
tion at Fort Frontenac (now King- 
fton) and built the firft veiTcl that 
ever ploughed the furface of Lake 



Ontario. Obtaining new grants in 
1678, he puftied on to Niagara, 
built a vefTel there, and again the 
pioneer of Weftern navigation, failed 
through Lakes Erie, St. Clair and 
Huron to Mackinac, Sending ba:k 
his vefiel with a load of furs, he 
proceeded in canoes to the Illinois 
country, building a fort on the St. 
Jofeph's river, and another on the 
Illinois, whofe name, Crevecoeur, 
records his defpondency at receiving 
no tidings of his bark or fupplies 
from Frontenac. Left unfupported, 
he returned by land to his fort on 
Lake Ontario ; but while abfent his 
party were driven from the Illinois 
by the Senecas, and La Salle on his 
arrival at Fort Crevecoeur found it 
deferted. After fome fearch he 
joined Tonty at Mackinaw. Here 
reorganizing his party he defcended 
the Illinois To the Miffiffippi, and 
followed that river to its mouth, 
which he reached April 9, 1682. 
Returning to France, he fought to 
make the mouth of the river by 
fea. He failed to difcover it, was 
abandoned in Texas, and in an 
attempt to reach Canada, was killed 
by his own men, March 19, 1687. 
See his Life by Sparks, vol i. N. S. 
American Biography, "The Dif- 
covery and Exploration of the Mif- 
fiffippi," &c. 

3 In another Memoir he gives 
the date as July 23 or 24. 



Cavelier's Account, 17 

a calm or great heats. Neverthelefs the clofe J-^y* 
of the month brought a ftorm, which difmafted *"** 
the vefTel+my brother was in, and compelled us 
all to put back to the port from which we had 
ftarted.5 We fet fail again, and a few days after a 
fecond ftorm difperfed our Httle fleet; the St. 
Fran9ois^ was taken by Spanifh cruifers, and the 
other three got together only at Petit Goave in 
St. Domingo. I will not give your Lordfhip the 
detail of our courfe or manoeuvres to that point, as 
that is not my profeflion. 

If thefe unfortunate accidents damped the ardor 
of our adventurers, the condudt of Mr. de Beaujeu, 
Captain of a Ihip of the line,7 who commanded one 
of the fhips of the fleet, did fo no lefs; and if your 
Lordfhip takes pains to examine, you will find that 
that officer, jealous of my brother's having the 
principal authority and the diredtion of the enter- 
prife, fo traverfed it, that the failure may be attri- 
buted to him,^ 

^T'i"^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ J°^* *^°"^" ^ '^" ^^''^^ contained provi- 
manded by Mr. de Beaujeu, the fions and agricultural implements 
Commander of the fleet, whofe per- for the colony, and the lofs was 
verfenefs caufed the ruin of all con- confequently a ferious one. 
cemed. Joutel, p. 15, and Cave- , . , , ^ ,. 
lier, in another Memoir, hint that . ^ J°"'^* ^^"^ Cavelier, in ano- 
the breaking of the foremaft was . Memoir, dilate on the trouble 
planned. ^"^ Beaujeu, and Cavelier there in- 
troduces a particular account of La 
5 Joutel fays they put in at Roche- ^^^^ dangerous illnefs at St. Do- 
fort, p. 15. Father Le Clercq fays '"'"SO- 

at Chef-de-bois, which agrees with 8 The French diftinguifh as dif- 

Caveber ; Chef-de-bois being the ferent ranb Captain of a frigate and 

roadftead before la Rochelle. Captain of a man-of-war or (hip "of 

the line. 



1 8 La Salle s Laft Voyage, 

Its'- ^^ made fome ftay at Petit Goave to give our 
crew a little refrefliment and to prepare to carry- 
out the proje(ft conveniently. There Mr. de Beaujeu 
began to employ all means that he could invent to 
prevent my brother from going further ; neverthe- 
lefs we fet fail towards the latter part of November, 
intending to reconnoitre the land ten or twenty 
leagues north of the mouth of the river, but head 
winds having forced us to put back feveral times ; 
my brother at laft determined to explore Florida, 
whatever point we made, but Mr. de Beaujeu did 
not follow him. He abandoned us, under pretext 
of having been furprifed by a fquall. 

'685. On the fixth of January,? we made the coaft of 
Florida, and fuppoiing ourfelves north of the mouth 
of the river, we failed foutherly along the coaft, 
crowding fail, for fear of being forced by the cur- 
rents into Bahama channel. Some days after, on 
taking the altitude, we found ourfelves fifty leagues 
fouth, which obliged us to turn back and retrace our 
fteps. Still coafting along, we^ difcovered Efpiritu 
Santo Bay,'° where we found Mr, de Beaujeu ; my 
brother had a long conference with him there, at 
the clofe of which the three veflels fet fail to pur- 
fue the fearch. 

The next morning Mr. de Beaujeu fent his long 
boat to my brother to tell him that he had failed 
fifty leagues fince he left Efpiritu Santo Bay, and 
that difcovering inland, a kind of gulf or river, it 

9 Joutel, p. 34, makes them reach 'o Joutel fays January 8. 
knd in December. 



• Feb. 4. 



Cavalier's Account. 19 

might be the Mifliffipy, and that he had no orders February, 
to go any further ; my brother allowed himfelf to * ^" 
be perfuaded that this might be one of the arms of 
that river ; and having fent out his boat to found, 
he found three and a half fathoms of water in the 
fhalloweft part of the channel, and entered with 
his veffel. He ordered the pink to unload as much 
as poflible, and to wait till he fent a pilot to bring 
her in, but this was fo badly done that flie ftruck 
on a fand bar and could not get off." 

Meanwhile Mr. de Beaujeu, who had anchored 
off, wrote to my brother, and fent the letter by his 
lieutenant." He told him, that having reached 
the mouth of the Mifliffipy he believed that he had 
fufficiently fulfilled his duty ; that having feen the 
pink perifh before his eyes, he did not think it 
proper to rilk entering the river with his (hip, for 
fear of a like mifhap : that having no more provi- 
fions or refrefhments, he was determined to return 
to France, and he begged him to fend his letters 
for the Court, with his exoneration from all the 
accidents that had happened, or might thereafter 
happen. My brother moft generoufly granted all. 

Monfieur de Beaujeu having accordingly hoifted 
fail for France,*3 my brother undertook to do three March 14. 

"Joutel, p, 79, andLeClercqin- Dainmaville and fome others, and 
cline to think the lofs of the Aimable refufed to give La Salle the cannon 
intentional on the part of the captain, and cannon balls in his hold- 

i» The Chevalier d'Aire. Beau- » 3 Le Clercq fays the 1 2th ; Joutel 
ieu took with hini the captain and from recollection, the 14th, 
crew of the Aimable, Rev. Mr. 



20 Lci Salle's Loft Voyage. 

March, things at once : one was to make a ftorehoufe on 
{here to lay up his ammunition and provifions, 
merchandife and other things ; the other was to go 
himfelf with thirty or forty men to feled: a fuitable 
place for a fettlement at the end of the bay ; and 
the other to bring his vefTel as far as he could into 
the bay. All this was executed ; for the vefTel was 
brought up to the mouth of a river to which the 
name of Vache^^ (Cow) was given, on account of 
the number of that animal found there, and here 
he built a little fort of fourteen guns, with fmall 
but pretty convenient houfes, and florehoufes fuffi- 
cient to contain all that we had. '5 

Meanwhile my brother, originally under the idea 
that the river we were in was one of the arms 
of the Miffiffipy, on account of the quantity of 
reeds it bore down to the fea, at laft faw his error 
and formed the defign of difcovering it by land ; 
but unable to leave his fort without expofing it to 
the infults of the neareft Indians, who were waging 
n'^men'lilS ^ cruel War on us'^=^ (believing us Spaniards), he 
arrows. cndeavorcd to gain their confidence and friendfhip. 

i4Aftenvards called by the Span- fiffippi, p. 207) both defcribe this 

iards La Vaca river, which name it Fort as St. Louis. According to 

ilill retains, the only name in Texas the former it was at 27° N., two 

of La Salle's. The Fache here leagues from the Bay, near the banks 

evidently means the Bifon, though ofLa Vaca river, which lay north of 

in Canada the Vache Sauvage was it, a marfh and hill lying between 

the Moofe. Joutel (p, 113) calls them. 
it. Riviere aux Baufs. 

16 Joutel mentions two by name, 

» 5 Joutel (p. 126) and Father Meffrs. Oris and Defloges. 
Anaftafius (Difcovcry of the Mif- 



ten 



Cavelier's Account, 2i 

Your Lordfhip knows that he has an admirable ^S^.* 
tadl for that. He employed it fo adroitly in this 
conjundlure, that before the clofe of July we mu- 
tually viiited each other ; we often went to their 
village,^ '7 which was quite near our fort (which a^^'Silf S 
we will in future call Fort of St. Louis Bay),*^ and Bracamw. 
one day they offered to guide my brother to a 
neighboring nation, their ally, only about fifteen 
leagues off, to fhow him, they faid, curious things. 
My brother accepted their offer, thanked them for 
the friendlhip they teflified, and made them fome 
prefents ; after which fetting out'? to the number of 
twenty-four, accompanied by a troop of Indians, 
we arrived at a large village, furrounded by a kind 
of wall made with potter's clay and fand, fortified 
with little towers at intervals, where we found 
faftened to a pofl the arms of Spain engraved on 
a copper plate, dated 1588. 

The people welcomed us and fhowed us fome 
hammers and an anvil, two fmall pieces of iron 
cannon, a fmall bronze culverine, fpearheads, old 
fword blades and fome volumes of Spanifh comedies; 
and leading us thence to a little fifhing hamlet 
about two leagues off, they fhowed us a fecond pofl 

X7 Thefe Bracamos arc not men- mentions the Bahamos and Quinets 

tioned by name by Joutel. He as hoftile nations, 

elfewherefpeaksof theHebahamos; ,gg^_ Louis Bay was called by 

and Barcia (Enfayo Cronologico, ^j^^ Spaniards Efpiritu Santo Bay, 

p. 294) %s that the fort was m the ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ j^a Salle was/is 

territory of the Quelanhubeches and ^ ^^.^^^^ Matagorda Bay. 

Bahamos. Father Anaftafius (Dif- ^ ^ -' 

covery of the Miffiffippi, p. 209) 19 In Oilobcr, apparently. 

D 



22 La Salle's Laft Voyage. 

^^=^' alfo bearing the arms of Spain and fome old chim- 
neys.^'^* All this convinced us that the Spaniards 
had been there before. They alfo gave us to un- 
derhand by figns that the Miffifipy River v^as very 
difficult to find, becaufe its mouth could not be per- 
ceived a league off. They then drew vefTels w^ith 
coal, and gave us to underfland that many palTed 
along their coaft. 

Having taken leave of thefe Indians, to v^^hom we 
made fome prefents and courtefy for courtefy, we 
returned to our fort at St. Louis Bay, where we made 
fome ftay to cultivate more and more the confi- 
dence and friendfhip of our Bracamos (fo is the 
Indian nation called that dwells near our fort), in 
order to leave protedlors to the people whom we 
would have to leave in the fort while we went 
overland to feek the Miffifip'y. 

We obferved during our ftay, that the eafl winds 
generally prevail by day, and weft winds by night; 
that the leaft fpeck of cloud forebodes a violent 
gale, which will laft an hour at moft; that the 
north winds (which the Spaniards there dread im- 
menfely) are not fo violent as the weft winds which 
the fifhing fmacks ftand in winter time on the 
Banks of Newfoundland ; and laftly that the tide 
rifes here but very (lightly. We faw quantities of 
fait, formed naturally in various fpots, which led us 
to infer that it would be eafy to make fucceflFul 
fait works. 

*«> Father Morfi in his very full filent as to any Spanifh occupation 
manufcript Hiftory of Texas, is of fo early a date. 



rture of 
Salle 



Cavelier's Account, 23 

Having then provided for the fecurity of the ^"^^^^ 
fort by the friendfhip of the neighbouring Indians, 
by arms and ammunition, and for the fubSilence of 
the people whom we left there by the provifions and 
goods which remained, and after my brother had 
recommended vigilance, patience, and devotion to 
the King's fervice, we fet out on the firft of No- Nov. i. 
vember, accompanied by thirty men, carrying only ^H^"^^ 
our arms, ammunition for game, and fome trifling to difcover th" 

' ■% r ^1 T J' mouth of the 

articles ror the Indians. nvcr by land. 

Ten or twelve days after, we found a very popu- 
lous village, where the men and women wore large 
pearls hanging from the cartilage between the two 
noftrils. I bought a few in order to fhow your 
Lordfhip. I have already fhown them to Catillon, 
lapidary at Paris, who alTured me that they were 
of the fineft water, in the world, but imperfedt in 
fhape. We tried to learn from thefe Indians the 
place whence they drew this precious merchandife, 
but being able to underftand us only by figns, we 
could only prefume that they got them from the 
fea when they went to catch iifh, for they fhowed 
us large pirogues and nets which apparently were 
folely for this ufe. We have fince learned that 
many fmall rivers which pafs through their country 
empty into St. Louis Bay. 

Having left this nation, we ran for two months December and 
in fearch of our river with no hope of finding it, J*"""^- 
finding only Indians whofe manners kept us in 
perpetual diftruft ; we did not dare to make any 
ftay in any place for fear of fome furprife. The 



24 La Salle s Lajl Voyage. 

^"iSr' continual marching, the rigour of the feafon, and 
the fears that we had conceived from the referved 
and diftruftful manners of the Indians, made us 
undergo hardfhips, that it would be difficult for me 
to exprefs. 
February, In the beginning of February we came to a pretty 
'^^^' large river, which my brother thought might be 
the Miffifipy, although its courfe Was juft the oppo- 
lite ; our fentiments were different, we followed its 
banks for two days, without meeting man or beaft. 

Some days after, having perceived a village, we 
deemed proper to fire a volley before entering, in 
order to alarm the Indians and put them to flight, 
fo as to take from their cabins what Indian corn 
we needed; this having been executed, we left 
them the payment on the fpot, after which we left 
to continue our fearch. 

We had fcarcely made a league when we per- 
ceived two Indians running after us. We firft 
thought the villagers, charmed with the beauty of 
the knives, fcifibrs and needles that we had left in 
payment, had deputed them to bring us back, but 
we were greatly furprifed when we faw thefe In- 
dians fall on my brother and almoft flifle him by 
their embraces in the tranfport of pleafure which 
they experienced on feeing him again. They were 
two Shawnees, of three whom my brother loll 
when he defcended to the mouth of the Miffifipy 
by the Ilinois river. They told us that their com- 
it was in rade was fick in the village, to which they begged 
^^^'^' us to return, afiTuring us of the humanity and good 



Cavelier's Account, 25 

faith of the people. My brother was fincerely ^'^''^'J^'^^' 
pleafed to find them again, and in hopes of learning 
from them what he defired, he made no difficulty 
of refolving to follow them. They took us firft to 
their cabin, where we found their comrade. They 
made us take up our quarters there, while a larger 
cabin was preparing for us near by. 

They told us, that having gone out to hunt 
while in my brother's fervice, they were furrounded 
and taken by thirty or forty warriors of the village 
where we were, who carried them there without 
binding them; that the whole nation, and even their 
allies, had greatly honoured them and held them 
for fomething more than men, on account of the 
power of their guns ; that they wondered to fee 
them kill a bifon a hundred paces off, and feveral 
turkeys at a fingle (hot, but that when their ammu- 
nition failed, thefe people preffed them to make 
more and ridiculed them becaufe they had not the 
fecret of making it. They alfo told us that they 
had married in this village, and that they had had 
no difficulty in learning the language. They then 
took us to a large cabin where we were conven- 
iently lodged. 

It was from thefe three Indians that we learned 
that we were only forty leagues from the fea ; that 
the Indians among whom we were made war on 
others who had intercourfe with the Spaniards, dif- 
tant about 1 30 leagues from the fea ; that there was 
a river — leagues from us, more beautiful than the 3° l. They 
Miffifipy, and two others fifteen or twenty leagues, BraTo. ^*"' ^'° 



nees 



26 La Salle's Laji Voyage, 

^^I'esr' ^" which gold was found in large grains and in 
duft ; that the Indians ufed it only to make collars 
and bracelets, but that they valued it lefs than cer- 
tain red ftones which they put to the fame ufe. 
itutheshaw- They added : We have been to war again ft the 
thatfpeak. ^ation that has intercourfe with the Spaniards and 
took fome prifoners who were neatly dreffed in filk. 
They told us that the Spaniards furnifhed them 
their clothes and many other things in exchange 
for certain ftones which they prized highly. They 
directed us to the fpot whence they took thefe pre- 
cious ftones, and as we could pafs by it, without 
deviating much from the route we had to take back 
to our village, we eafily perfuaded our troop, as curi- 
ous as ourfelves, to go there. The prifoners adling 
as guides, we reached a hill which may be two 
took 'Vome" to leagues long, where they fhowed us fome holes 
body' of 'gold! made by the Indians, from which we took^ fome 
fmiths aflayed fpecimcns of ftoue which we have kept. This hill 
kfiJ^'s ^order^ Hcs about forty leagues from our village, and is 
k"wa[°goid o^le' near a little river which empties in a larger one,^ 
which had only which coming a great diftance and pafling between 
dRio Bravo, two rangcs of hills empties into the Gulf of Mexico. 
The Spaniards have feveral villages on the fouthern 
part of this river, and the Indians who make war 
on them, crofs over and make captures along the 
• Apparently j-Qade which thcv freouent with little precaution. 

the road from , /-r 1 1 1 • r 

Old to New They aiiured us that there was not a nation for 

^"'"" a hundred leagues around but feared the inroads of 

the Spaniards ; that they dreaded them on account 

of the frightful ftories told of their fire arms ; that 



Cavelier's Account, 27 

this confideration alone had prevented their leaguing ^^l'^^^' 
together to undertake to carry a town, lacking 
neither defire, courage nor means of uniting; that 
for this purpofe they could bring together one 
hundred thoufand warriors and ten thoufand horfes, 
without going fifty leagues from their village; that 
this army could fubfift, even without fupplies of 
provifions, by the quantity of bifon, fmall game and 
fifh found everywhere, by merely dividing into 
troops often thoufand men, and giving two leagues 
of land to each troop, and always camping in beau- 
tiful prairies with which the country abounds ; that 
even if we wifhed to lay up provifions of Indian 
corn, peas or beans, it could eafily be done, as the 
earth produces plentifully without being fowed or 
cultivated ; and finally, that the country is full of 
all forts of excellent fruit, which would alfo be a 
great help. They convinced us that they needed 
only good leaders and fome regular troops to in- 
ftrud: them, arms, faddles, bridles and ammunition. 
On this my brother having afked them on which 
fide they would attack the Spaniards, they replied 
that it was beyond that great river* of which they *R'° 2"^°- 
had fpoken to us, where there were feveral cities 
and villages, fome open and others fortified merely 
by palifades, which it would be eafy to force, the 
more eafily as the Indians had often got the upper 
hand of them ; that the year before they had killed 
or taken over two thoufand perfons and forced 
them to fend religious to exhort them to peace. 
They told us moreover that the Spaniards had 



28 La Salle s Lajl Voyage. 

Febraary, niofe than 30 gold and filver mines in different 
parts of the country which they durft not work on 
account of the proximity q^ nations that they were 
at war with. 

That the climate of the country northward and 
Rio Bravo, caftward of the great river was perfedly beautiful, 
and fo healthy that men died there only of old age 
orfmallpox; the land fo, fertile, that unfown, un- 
tilled, it produced two crops of Indian^corn and 
three of peafe or beans a year ; that they were told 
that the other fide of the river was neither fertile 
nor healthy; 

That there was near by a nation that made cloth 

of nettles, wild flax and the bark of trees, and who 

The Paris Hianufadtured cloth of buffalo wool ; that they 

dyers were give the fineft colouTS in the world to all their 

the quality of fabrics ; in fa(5t they gave us earth of all colours, 

this earth, ^j^j^^j^ ^^g ^.^q]^ jq France ; that there were other 

thTpa^r"^ nations to the northweft, who had kings and chiefs 

hans and the and obfcrvcd fomc forms of government, honoring 

ontotonu. ^^^ refpeding their kings as Europeans do theirs; 

norida,ap- That there were fome on the Eaft fo fierce, that 

it had never had any communication with others, 

and fo cruel that they devoured each other ; 

That about fifty leagues from the fpot where we 
were, were two or three mountains on the banks 
of a river, from which were taken red ftones, as 
clear as cryftal. They gave us lome of it and fome 
gold ore which we took to France. 

After they had related us all this, my brother 
wifhed to induce them to follow him, to return to 



Cavelier's Account, 29 

their own country ; but they anfwered him, that ^,^85!"^' 
they were not unnatural enough to abandon their 
wives and children; that moreover being in the 
mofl fertile, healthy and peaceful country in the 
world, they would be devoid of fenfe to leave it and 
expofe themfelves to be tomahawked by the Illinois 
or burnt by the Iroquois on their way to another, 
where the winter was infufferably cold, the fummer 
without game, and ever in war ; but that if the 
French built or eftablifhed any colony in the Mif- 
fifipy, that they would approach it and that they 
would have the pleafure of rendering them confid- 
erable fervices. 

Towards the clofe of January we parted from 
our honeft Shawnees, who could not accompany us 
to the Miffifipy for fear of being fufpedled of wilh- 
ing to follow us, but they induced ten or twelve 
warriors to lead us. On the loth of March we 
defcried the river Miffifipy, where we left fome 
men in a little redoubt of pickets, which we made 
ourfelves, and retracing our fteps, we pafTed again 
through the village of our Shawnees, where we 
were regaled as well as thefe good people could 
regale us, and continuing our march, we reached Return of Mr 
St. Louis Bay, on the 30th of the month of March, ^" ^' ^'"'• 
1685.^' 

21 Joutel and Le Clercq are very tlon La Salle reached the MiffifTippi, 

brief as to this journey of La Salle, and remarks : " We muft however 

whofe return the former puts in " fay in behalf of Mr. Tonty, that 

March, the latter May 31, 1686. "he ftates it only on the report of 

Joutel denies the ftatement in the " Rev. Mr. Cavelier, La Salle's 

Pfeudo Tonty, that in this expedi- " brother ; and the faid Cavelier 

E 



30 La Salle's Laji Voyage, 

^^illT' Our people received us with all poffible joy, and 
we experienced much pleafure to find them all in 
good health ; but our joy was foon marred by the 
moft diftrefiing accident in the world ; for our fri- 
gate, eight or ten days after our arrival, ftruck and 
perifhed with all on board except eight men." 
The lofs which we had fuftained of ten men, the 
befl failors we had on board, who were killed with 
arrows by the Bracamos at the time they made war 
on us, fuppofing us to be Spaniards, was furely the 
caufe of the lofs of the vefiel, which perhaps lacked 
experienced people ; in fine, the chagrin that my 
brother experienced at the lofs, joined to the hard- 
ships which we had undergone during our painful 
march, brought on a malady which nearly took 
him out of the world, and overwhelmed our little 
party with defpair. In fa6l, my Lord, after the lofs 
of the vefTel, which deprived us of our only means 
of returning to France, we had no refource for our 
fubfiftence except my brother's good management 
and firmnefs, and each of us regarded his death as 
his own, for we beheld ourfelves caft away in a 
favage country, without afiliftance and cut off by 
immenfe diftances from every Chriftian nation. 

" may have reafons for pretending " 1686, he thought that he had found 

" that they difcovered the MiffifTippi " the river, he fortified a place, 

" in the fame view that obliged him " left a part of his men and with 

** to conceal his brother's death." " nine others continued to explore 

p. 5. Le Clercq in the Etablijfe- " a moft beautiful country." 
ment de la Foi (fee Shea's Difc. of 

the MiJJiJJtppi, p. 195) fays: "At " For the lofs of the Belle, fee 

"laft, on the 13th of February, Joutel, 140. 



Cavelier's Account, 31 

My brother recovered at laft, and when his ^^^'^'gg'^' 
health was perfed:ly reftored, he propofed to under- 
take to reach Canada by land, fo as to come to 
France to report what he had done. The way is 
long, painful and dangerous beyond all that can be 
expreiled to the contrary, fo the leaft hardy durft not 
undertake it. Thefe my brother left in charge of 
the fort, with necefTary provifions, commending 
them to remain ftrongly attached to the king's 
fervice. He formed a party of thofe who were 
difpofed to follow him. Father Athanafius, my 
nephew Moranget, my brother's godfon, two 
Shawnee Indians, who had followed my brother to 
France, and I, were of the party. ^^g 

We ftarted on the 13th of April, 1685,^3 and ap"1 ^V 
laid our route fo as to pafs by the Illinois, where 0/ Mn ^a^ia 
we had refolved to reft. It feems to me unnecef- jalVthe^Si- 
fary to fpeak here of the minutiae of our march, "o's 
and I will merely fay in general the moft remarkable 
things that we law and obferved. 

We were very kindly and affedlionately received 
by all the nations that we pafTed through. We 
had plenty every where ; we received prefents and 
v/ere fupplied with guides and horfes. Among civiS nation, 
thefe nations, the Senis-'^ feem to us the moft nu-°'^^"'^'^"^- 

iSFather Anaftafius (notAthana- Provincia de Texas, they were one 

fins) in Le Clercq details this expe- of the tribes comprifed under the 

dition. The real date is 1686. general name of Texas, which be- 

fides the Texas proper and the 

i4 The Senis or Ccenis are called AfTinais, included the Navedachos, 

Affinais by the Spanifh writers, the Nagcodoches, the Nacogdoches, 

According to Father Morfi, in his the Nadocogs, the Ahijitos, the Ca- 

Mermrias para la Hijioria de la dogdachos and Naflbnis, all fpeaking 



32 La Salle s Lajl Voyage, 

^TelT' merous and poliflied ; it is governed by a King or 
Cacique, and the fubordination that we remarked 
among them made us infer that they had officers ; 
the houfes are built with order and very prettily, and 
they have the art of making a cloth of feathers and 
the hair of animals. We found there filver lamps, 
old mufkets and Spanish fword blades. Having 
afked them by figns where they got them, they 
took a coal and depi(fled a Spaniard, houfes, fteeples, 
and fhowed us the part of the heaven under which 
New Mexico would lie. 

On leaving this village, my brother, our nephew 
and three foldiers were greatly troubled by certain 
ftrange fruits of which they had eaten too freely. 
They all took the fever, which did not leave them 
till two months afterward. My brother was fo 
affedled and weakened by it that we did not dare 
Saii^arrwls at ^^ procccd, but TCtracing our fteps returned after 
l"" -^"b °^ ^^" ^°^^y ^^y^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^" ^^* Louis Bay,-5 where we 

the fame language. Father Anafla- " is in the middle, and each cabin 

fius reprefents the town of the Senis " holds two families." 
as extending for fome fixty miles in 

" hamlets of ten or twelve cabins, as (Oftober, 1686). This ex- 
" forming cantons each with a dif- ploration is here vaguely defcribed. 
"ferent name." He probably in- Father Anaftafius details it how- 
eludes all the above tribes. " Their ever. Mr. Sparks fays, " It may 
" cabins," fays he, " are fine, forty "be affumed as certain, that he 
" or fifty feet high, of the fhape of " crofTed the three large rivers, 
" bee hives. They plant trees in " Colorado, Brazos and Trinity ; 
" the ground and tie them together *' the firft not many miles above the 
" by the upper branches, and cover " prefent town of Montezuma ; and 
" it with dry grafs. The beds are " the fecond as far above the town 
" ranged around the cabin, three or " of Wafhington . . . The journey 
" four feet from the ground, the fire " terminated beyond the Naflbnis, 



Caveliers Account, 33 

were received with all poffible joy by our people ^tes?"* 
and by the Bracamos, who came iirfl to vifit us 
and brought us a quantity of deer. 

The attempts which we had made to go to Ca- 
nada not having fucceeded, we turned our hopes to 
the aid that the King might fend us from France, 
and we patiently awaited it till the clofe of the year 
1686 ; but at laft weary of being deprived of the 
fociety of our countrymen, and banifhed as it were 
to the uttermoft parts of the earth, we regarded this 
agreeable country only as a tedious refting place 
and a perpetual prifon, feeling fatiffied that had not 
the King deemed us loft, he would have had the 
goodnefs to fend fome one to continue the explora- 
tion which we had undertaken, or to carry us back 
to France. We often made vague . conjectures, 
which ferved only to afflid: us, and at laft when the 
beginning of i686^^came, my brother propofed to 
make a fecond attempt. As all minds were full of 
the defire of again beholding France, his eloquence 
was required only to perfuade fome of our people 
to remain in the fort. He portrayed to them the 
hardships and dangers to be encountered ; the im- 
poffibility of fubfifting if they all went together on 
io long a march,' with no refource but hunting. 
He fucceeded fo well that a part determined to keep 
the fort, and my brother took only 28^^ of the moft 

" probably about midway between 26 (1687). 

" the Trinity and Red River, near 

" the head waters of the Sabine, 27 Anaftafius fays twenty : Jou- 

" and fifty or sixty miles northweft tel, feventeen. 

*' of Nacogdoches." {Life of La 

Salle, p. 152.) 



34 L^ Salle's Laji Voyage. 

^^im'^' vigourous, among them Father Athanafius, our 

nephews Cavelier and Moranget, my brother's god- 

fon, the pilot of his velTel and mylelf. 

Second at- ^^ ftaited on the 6th of January''^ (after hearing 

tempt to reach JVlafs and performing our devotions, and exhorting; 

Canada by land. ^ . *-*., iirri 

the people who remained to watch the late keep- 
ing of the fort, promifing foon to return with help 
from France), and went to fleep at the village of 
the Bracamos. 

The 7th we made 5 or 6 leagues progrefs through 
canes and reeds. 

The 8th we made alfo 5 or 6 leagues in more 
clear and level country. 

The 9th we arrived at the village of the Kou- 
aras,^9 where we tarried two days. There we faw 
a party of 7 or 800 warriors, who were bringing in 
one hundred and fifty prifoners in triumph; we 
faved fome who were going to be caft into the 
water bound hand and foot. 

The 1 2th we crofled a river on a raft with much 
rifk. The fear that we had experienced was not 
yet diffipated when all at once a band of Indians, 
rufhing defperately on us, revived it in a ftill more 
intenfe degree ; but thefe good people far from 
harming us, took us to their cabins where they 
gave us feveral kinds of meat to eat, and offered us 
pipes and tobacco; while we were engaged in 

28 Father Anaftafius agrees with the MiffiJJippi, p. 211), mentions 
Cavelier, but Joutel fays the 1 2th. this vifit to the Quaras, who are 

perhaps the Xaranames of Father 
^9 Father Anaftafius {Difc. of Morfi. 



Cavelier^s Account, 35 

fmoking, they began to fing and dance in a very ^/^gg"^' 
curious manner,and flopped only when we departed. 
We made lix leagues that day. 

The 15th we refumed our march, although our 
good and honeft hunters made every effort to keep 
us at leafl: till next day. They gave us an efcort 
of twelve men who accompanied us 4 leagues from 
the village, and confided us to other hunters who 
treated us in the fame manner as the firft during 
the two days that we were in company. 

The 16th we marched 6 or 7 leagues in beauti- 
ful prairies, fludded with little groves at intervals, 
and at evening we encamped on the banks of a 
little ftream. 

The 17th in the morning, when about to 
march, we perceived 150 Indians, all on horfeback, 
armed with lances tipped with fharpened bone well 
tied and enchafed, each of whom attacked a bull. 
No fooner had they perceived us when fome of 
them left the party and came to welcome us after 
difmounting. They at firfl regarded us with 
aflonifhment and after having examined us, they 
uttered extraordinary exclamations. They then 
made us mount, the more conveniently to witnefs 
the clofe of the bull-fight, which feemed to us 
the mofl diverting thing imaginable, and I am 
convinced that there is no chafe as curious in 
Europe. When the combat was ended by the 
death of feveral animals, the combatants came 
galloping to us and giving many tokens of fur- 
prize and joy at meeting us, they led us away 



36 La Salle s La/l Voyage. 

February, ^q ^\^q\^ village. Their frank and cordial manners 

1688. o 

made us follow them without repugnance. They 
often uttered the word Kmioutmoa, pointing to 
themfelves; this made us fuppofe that it was the 
name of the nation. 5° They took us ftraight to 
the cabin of their great chief or cap^", where they 
firft wafhed our heads, hands and feet with warm 
water; after which they prefented us boiled and 
roaft meat to eat, and an unknown fifh, cooked 
whole, that was fix feet long, laid in a dilli of its 
length. It was of a wonderful tafte and we pre- 
ferred it to meat. They told us by figns that they 
were abundant and came from a diftance afcending 
the river. 

Wc bought at this place thirty horfes, which 
mounted us all and carried our baggage. They 
coft us thirty knives, ten hatchets, and fix dozen 
needles. On the 1 9th we crofTed the river on their 
boats and our horfes fwam over. We made that 
day four or five leagues and encamped on a fpot 
where there was grafs to paflure our horfes, which 
we tied to good flakes. 

On the 20th, about two leagues from the fpot 
where we had pafTed the night, we found quite a 
well beaten path ; we followed it becaufe it ran in 
the direction in which we had refolved to go. We 
faw there four old women and four young girls 
who pafTed by us weeping and tearing their hair, 

3° Father Anaftafius mentions Maligne (Colorado), but Joutel 
their vifiting the Quanoatinno on the merely fays that they heard of the 
river which La Salle ftyled the Canohatinno. 



Cavelier's Account. 37 

without having curiofity enough to look at us. ^^"es'y^* 
This feemed to us an ill omen, but we paid no great 
attention to it. The next moment we faw a crowd 
coming towards us ; we firfl: put ourfelves in a ftate 
of defence, prepared for all hazards; but thefe people, 
inftead of approaching us, fled, and we purfued our 
way, and in the evening reached a village the 
cabins of which were made of canes interlaced and 
whitened with very fine plafter. The Indians in 
alarm took flight, but feeing that we encamped 
near their village without doing them any harm, 
and that we made them figns to return, they 
gradually approached us, and finally ventured to 
enter our tents of grafs and branches of trees. We 
made them fome little prefents. The next day 
they took us to their village. It feems to me that 
they faid they were called Ticapanas.^' They 
brought us one of their number who fpoke Spanifh, . indiansfpeak- 
and fome boys whom we had in our party adling '"^ ^^"' 
as interpreters, we learned many things from him 
which I will relate to your Lordfhip in the collec- 
tion of memoirs of my brother. 

On the 22d we continued our march, and after 
fording the river, led by five Indians, we entered a 
valley (five leagues from our fl:arting point) which, 
though it was mid winter, was full of fruit trees, 
flowers and a prodigious quantity of birds of various 
kinds. We encamped there in a favourable pofi- 
tion to pafs the night, while our Indians came back 

31 The Tyakappan of Father Anaftafius. 

F 



38 La Salle s La ft Voyage. 

'^^il%^. ^^°"^ ^^ ^'^"^ loaded with turkeys. They gave 
us a long account of this valley, but we could not 
underftand a word of it. 

On the 23d they took us to the great village of the 
Palomas,3- which is furrounded by palifades of cane. 
Our guides were there quellioned about us. We 
inferred that they anfwered that we had not the air 
of being Spaniards ; we do not know what they be- 
lieved, for they lodged us in a great cabin outfide the 
village, where they brought us more than thirty 
handfome maidens of their village. We pointed 
up to heaven, making figns that it was an execra- 
ble cuftom, but not underftanding us, they thought 
that we were talking of the fun, for they inftantly 
placed their hands on their foreheads and fell flat 
on the ground looking up to it, and the young men 
uttered fearful cries, feeing that we fled from the 
perfecution of thefe wantons. This nation feemed 
to us more grofs and ill made than the others. 

On the 24th we left it and wifhed their canoes to 
crofs a large river, that ran at the foot of their vil- 
lage, but they advifed us to afcend the river, giving 
us to underftand by ligns that we would infallibly 
be killed on the other flde if we crofl!ed the river. 
We could not learn whether they were beafts or 
men that we had to fear. They gave us a peri- 
augua in which we put 20 men and the 8 others 
took the horfes by land. After five days failing 
and marching, we faw fome Indians fifhing, and 
although there were only feven or eight o{ them, 

3* The Palonas of Father Anaftafius. 



Cavelier^s Account. 39 

inftead of fleeing they ran up to receive us. We -^^"^g'^' 
recognized them as a nation called Alakea, among 
whom we had palled the firfl time we were in the 
nation of the Senis. They took us to their village 
where we were received with all poffible affedlion. 
They kept us among them 6 days, and then having 
aided us to crofs the river in little boats of buffalo 
fkins fewed together, they took us to the village of 
the Akafquyy who knowing us by reputation, were 
glad to have us pafs by their village. At this place 
we faw about fixty hermaphrodites, for the moft of 
them go entirely naked after funfet. We there 
alfo faw them make cloth with buffalo wool, and 
a fluff which feemed to us the richeft in the world, 
fo Angular was it, for it is made of birds' feathers 
and the hair of animals of every colour. 

On the 27th we ftarted from the Akafquy to go 
to the Penoy^ where we arrived on the 29th. 

On the 30th we went to fleep at the village of 
Sajforyyi'^ where we were received with the fame 
friendship as in the others. We remained there 
one day, and we had the pleafure of feeing an 
alligator, twelve feet long, captured. The Indians 
employed a hook made of a buffalo bone tied to 
the end of a cord, fludded with fmall bones fo that 
he cannot bite it through, and they ufe no bait but 

33 The Alakca are apparently Tory are the Affbnis. At this point 

the Palaqueflbn of Anaftafius and Cavalier's narrative becomes irre- 

the Palaquechaunc of Joiuel. Nei- concileablc with Joutel and Father 

ther Anaflafius nor Joutel mentions Anaftafius. Joutel, p. 213, makes 

the Penoy, Saflbry, Tipoy and Ana- them reach the Cenis after La Salle's 

mis, and Morfi throws no light on death, 
any of thefc tribes, unlefs the Saf- 



4-0 L,a Salle s Loft Foyage, 

January, ^ piece of mcat OH the hook. The Indians who 
wilhed to amufe themfelves with it, put out its 
eyes and led it into a prairie, after tying its head to 
its tail, and tying it around the body with three 
different cords made of bark of trees and paffed 
around in flip knots ; and after tormenting it in 
various ways for full four hours, they turned it 
belly up and confined it from head to tail by eight 
flakes, planted fo that the animal could not move 
in any diredlion. In this condition they flayed 
him, and then gave him liberty to run, to have the 
pleafure of tormenting him more. This fport 
laflied all day, and ended with the death of this 
frightful beaft, which they killed and gave to their 
dogs. We faw many fkins of this animal thrown 
about, which made us infer that there were many 
in that river. We croffed it however by the help 
of the Indians, who having led us to the river bank 
and yelled for half an hour to frighten and drive 
off thefe animals, fwam over after putting us in a 
canoe ; our horfes accufliomed to follow us every- 
where like dogs alfo fwam over. 

Feb. I. On the evening of the ifl: of February we 
reached the village of the Tipoy, where the people, 
otherwife well made, have the top of the head, 
quite flat, caufed by the mothers putting on their 
children's heads flat pieces of wood lined with wool, 
which by a gentle preffure give them this fhape. 

On the 2d, Candlemas day, we left this village 
led by a Tipoy Indian, and on the 3d we reached 
the village of our good friends the Anamis, who had 



Cavelier's Account, 41 

hofpitably received us on our previous excurfion. ^',''^^^7' 
We had fhe chagrin to find their village half burnt 
down. They gave us to underftand by figns that 
a hoftile party w^hich furprized them, had fpread 
this defolation, and that they would have burnt it 
all, had they not alarmed them by firing on them 
with two guns and fome ammunition that we had 
left them ; that never having feen or heard of fuch 
arms, the fear they infpired put them to flight. 

On the 4th we fet out, and on the 8th we arrived 
at the great village of the Senis. This is a nation 
that occupies a territory eighteen leagues long. 
We were received at the entrance of the village 
and conducted to a large and beautiful cabin, where 
we were at firft entertained with a right curious 
fymphony. The chiefs fupped with us, and we 
repofed more tranquilly there than we had any 
where elfe. 

On the 9th, after a crowd of young men had 
danced a dance of joy in our cabin, we were taken 
to that of the prince, for whom they have all pof- 
fible veneration, fubmifiion and refpecft ; for when 
he went abroad he was borne by eight men on a 
platform, all the tribe ranged in two lines, both 
hands on the forehead, uttering a cry of joy or 
humility ; if he went on foot, very clean mats were 
fpread wherever he was to pafs. 

We left this village for fear that our foldiers 
fhould tamper with the women, and went to en- 
camp about two leagues off, intending to flay to 
reft and recruit. The people of the country made 



42 



La Salle s Laji Voyage. 



^'1^68^' ^^ Sufficiently exadl maps of the neighbouring rivers 
and nations. They told us that they knew the 
Spaniards, and depi(fled to us their clothing and 
fhowed us candlefticks, fwords, bucklers, daggers 
and Spanirti papers. We are convinced that' they 
are not far off, the more fo as the Senis have a 
number of fine horfes. 

On the 1 6th w^e left this great village for a 
fmaller one of the fame nation, 20 1. off. Thirty 
well mounted young warriors took us by as well 
beaten a road as that from Paris to Orleans. At 
intervals we came to little forts in the moft expofed 
pofitions, and every where a moft level country 
extremely well adapted to pafturage.3+ 



34 Cavalier's narrative here ends 
abruptly. His brother's death oc- 
curred foon after, and we unfortu- 
nately have not his account of it. 
With Joutel and Father Anaftafius 
he reached Canada and proceeded 
to France. Thofc left in Texas 
perifhed by the hands of the Caran- 



cagucs. The cannon of the fort 
long remained the only monument 
of La Salle in Texas. Ufed againft 
Indian, Mexican, Spaniard and 
American, they were ftill at Goliad, 
in 1 838.— Yoakum^s Hijl. of Texas, 
i, 22. 



II. 

VOYAGE DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI 

IN 1699. 
BY THE REV. MESSRS. 

MONTIGNY, ST. COSME, DAVION AND 
THAUMUR DE LA SOURCE. 




LETTER 

OF 

J. F. BUISSON St. COSME, 

MISSIONARY PRIEST, 

TO THE BISHOP [OF QUEBEC]. 

Monfeigneur : 

'HE laft that I had the honour to 
write to you was from MichilH- 
makinac, whence we fet out on the 
14th of September, and went by 
land to overtake our canoes, which 
had gone round Pointe aux Irro- 
quois, and fo on to the Outduaois village to wait for 
us. This village is of about 300 men. Would to 




I John Francis Buisson de St. 
CosME. This clei-gyman, whofe in- 
rercfting letter follows, was a native 
of Quebec, and a zealous miffion- 
ary, who never abandoned the labor 
on which he entered till he fank 
under the murderous blows of the 
favage. He was a Ton of Michael 
Buiflon or Byffbn, a native of St. 

G 



Cofme le Vert in the diocefe of 
Mans, and of Suzanne de Licerafle, 
and was born at Pointe Levis, Janu- 
ary 30, 1667. Devoting himfelf 
to the fervice of the altar, he was 
tonfured Auguft 22, 1688, when a 
little over twenty-one, and ordained 
priell on Candlemas day, 1690. 
He was not the only priell in his 



46 St, Cof^ne's Voyage 

God that they refponded to the care and labour 
which the Reverend Jefuit Fathers beftow on their 
inftru(5tion, but they feem lefs advanced in Chrift- 
ianity than the lUinois, who have only recently, 
they fay, had miffionaries. 

We left this village, Sept. 15th, eight canoes, 
four for the River of the Miamis, with the Sieur 
de Vincennes,"" and we three canoes, and Mr. 
Tonty,3 who as I have already told you in my laft. 



family, his brother Michael chofe 
the fame life, and after fpending 
fome time at Tamarois before his 
ordination, returned to Canada and 
died Cure of Sainte Foy, February 
1 8th, 171 2, in the 15th year of his 
priefthood, preceding by lefs than a 
month their coufm John Francis 
Buiflbn (a fon of Gervafe, their 
father's brother), who died on the 
15th March, 171 2, in the 29th 
year of his priefthood, and being at 
his death one of the canons of the 
church of Quebec. The author of 
this narrative details the commence- 
ment of their labors on the MifTif- 
iippi. He was ftationed firft at 
Tamarois, but removed very foon to 
the Natchez, among whom he labor- 
ed earneftjy till he was mafTacred by 
a party of Sitimaches while defcend- 
ingthe Mifliflippi in 1707. 

i This is the earlieft notice of 
Mr. de Vincennes. This officer, 
whofe death in the Chickafaw war 
has rendered his name famous, and 
whofe memory is preferved by a 
weftern city, was apparently a ne- 
phew of Louis Jollier, the explorer 



of the Mifliflippi. His family 
name was Biflbt, Vincennes being 
merely the name of a Seigneurie in 
Canada acquired by one of his an- 
ceftors. He was commander among 
the Miamis in 1698, as this journal 
fliows,and though he was near lofing 
his military rank and pofition in 
1704, he was too ufeful to be re- 
moved. In 1730 he led the Mia- 
mis in D'Artaguette's expedition, 
and with du Tifne, Lalande and 
Father Senat fell into^the hands of 
the Chickafaws and was put to 
death. Vincennes was not appa- 
parently founded by him, but may 
have been a port or rcfidence of his, 
fo that the town that arofe took his 



3 Henri de Tonty, fon of the 
founder of Tontines, was a Neapo- 
litan, who with his father having 
been concerned in a conlpiracy 
againft the Spanifli power, retired 
to France. He loft an arm in the 
fervice, and was recommended to 
La Salle by the Prince de Conde. 
He is one of the noble figures in 
the hirtory of the weft. As Lieu- 



Down the Mijffijftppi. 47 

had come to the refolution to accompany us as far 
as the Akanfcas. I cannot, Monfeigneur, exprefs 
our obhgations to him ; he guided us as far as the 
Akanfcas and gave us much pleafure on the way. 
He faciUtated our courfe through feveral nations, 
winning us the friendfhip of Ibme and intimidating 
thofe who from jealoufy or a defire of plunder had 
wifhed to oppofe our voyage ; he has not only done 
the duty of a brave man, but alfo difcharged the 
fundions of a zealous miflionary. He quieted the 
minds of our employees in the little vagaries that 
they might have ; he fupported us by his example 
in the exercifes of devotion which the voyage per- 
mitted us to perform, very often approaching the 
facraments. 

It would be ufelefs, Monfeigneur, to give you a 
defcription of Lake Miefitgan,^ on which we em- 
barked, leaving the fort of the OutouaQuas,5 it is a 
courfe well enough known. We would have taken 
the fouth fide, which is much the fhorteft and 

tenant of La Salle he direfted afFairs epidemical fever in Auguft, 1 704, at 

in Illinois with conftimmate flcill. Mobile. 

and going to meet La Salle he made 

the fecond voyage to the mouth of 4 Michigan. 

the MiffiiTippi. He was one of the 

founders of Detroit, and his re- 5 The Ottawas or Short Ears, 

moval from the command of the ftill cxift. They form a village on 

poll: to give place to the inexperi- the well fide of the lower peninfula 

enced de Bourgmont plunged the poll: of Michigan, where Catholic Mi|- 

in a war. When Iberville reached fionaries ftill attend them. Their 

the mouth of the MiiTiffippi, and language is Algonquin, and their 

fettlements were begun, Tonty went dialed approaches very nearly that 

down, and rendered lignal fervice of the Chippewas. 

till he lank a viftim to a deadly 



48 St, Cofme's Voyage 

finer than the north, but as it is the path of the 
Irriquois, and as they not long lince furprlzed fome 
foldiers and Indians who were going to the Miamis, 
this obliged us to take the north fide, which is not 
fo agreeable nor abundant in game, but ealier 
withal as I think, becaufe you are there {hielded 
from the north and eafl: winds. 

On the 1 8th of the month we arrived off the 
Bay of the Puants,^ forty leagues diftant from 
Michilimakinac ; we cabined in an ifle of the de- 
tour, [fo called] becaufe there the Lake begins to 
turn foutherly. We were detained on this ifland 
fix days, during which our people employed their 
time in fetting nets ; they took a great quantity of 
white iifh, which is a very fine fifh, and a manna, 
which is fcarcely ever wanting along this lake, 
where meat is almofl always out of reach. 

On the 20th we crofTed the Bay of the Puants 
[which is] about ten leagues broad. You crofs 
from ifle to ifle. The Bay of the Puants is about 
twenty or thirty leagues long. On the right, as 
you enter, you find another fmall bay called [the 
Bay] of the Noquets. The Bay of the Puants is 
inhabited by feveral Indian nations, the Noquets,7 
Folles Avoines^ [Wild Rice], Foxes, and the Pout- 

6 Green Bay. Lcs Puans were the 7 Thefe Indians left their name 
Winnebagoes. The Jcfuit Relations, to fome iflands in Green Bay, but 
where the name firft appears, ex- they figure very little in hiftory. 

plain that the Algonquin word Oue- o mi_ r^ n a • 1 

^•1 „ , n * J D ► ^ The Folles Avomes were the 

nibegouc, tranilated Puans, meant ,, 1 r 1 • l 

really men from the fait water. Menomonees, whole language is the 

They call themfelves Otchagras. 35°f,^°""P' °^ '" '^' Algonqum 



Down the MiJJtJJippi. 49 

ouatami and the Sak.9 The Jefuit Fathers have a 
miffion at the head of the bay. We much wiflied 
to pafs by the head of this bay, and it would have 
been much our fhorteft [route]. You afcend a 
Httle river (where there are only three leagues of 
rapids) about fixty leagues long ; you then make a 
portage which is not long,'° and fall into the river 
of Wefkonfin, which is very fine, and which you 
are only two days in defcending to reach the Mi- 
ciffippi. It is indeed 200 leagues from the point 
where this river empties into the Miciffippi to 
that where the river of the Illinois" difcharges into 
the fame Miciffippi, but the current is fo ftrong 
that this diftance is foon made ; but the Foxes 
[who] are on this little river that you afcend on 
leaving the Bay to reach the Wefkonfin will not 
fuifer any perfon [to pafs] for fear they will go to 
places at war with them, and hence they have 
already plundered feveral Frenchmen, who wifhed 
to go by that road. This obliged us to take the 
Chikagu road. 

On the 29th of September, we arrived at the 
village of the Poux'- al3out twenty leagues' diftance 
from the Traverfe of the Bay. There was formerly 
a very fine village there, but fince the chiefs death 

9 The Pottowatamies, Sacs and kias, Kafkalkias, Moingonas, and an 
Foxes, are ftill lubfifcing tribes of adopted tribe, the Metchigameas, all 
the fame Algonquin family. of whom are frequently mentioned 

here. 

10 See this portage more fully 

defcribed in Guignas's letter, /sy?. i^Poux is not the plural of the 

French word pou, as fome fuppofe, 
" The Illinois nation was made but a contradlion of Pouteouatami. 
up of the Peorias, Tamarois, Caho- 



50 Sl Cofmes Voyage 

a part of the Indians have gone and fettled in the 
Bay, and the reft were ready to go there too when 
we paiTed. We remained in this village 

The 30th we fet out, and on the 4th of Odlober 
we came to another fmall village of Poux on a 
little river where Rev. Father Marais'^ had win- 
tered with fome Frenchmen and planted a crofs. 
We fpent the reft of the day there. 

On the 5th we fet out, and after being detained 
two days by high winds, we arrived on the 7th at 
Melwarik.'"^ This is a river where there is a vil- 
lage which has been confiderable, and inhabited by 
the Motardins'5 and Foxes, and even fome Poux. 
We remained there two days, partly on account of 
the wind and partly to refrefh our people a little, 
as duck and teal (hooting was very plenty on the 
river. 

On the loth of October, having left Meliwarik 
early in the morning, we arrived in good feafon at 
Kipikawi,'^ which is about eight leagues from it. 
There we parted with Mr. de Vincennes's party, 
who continued their courfe towards the Miamis. 
Some Indians had led us to fuppofe that we might 

1 3 Apparently the Rev. Jofeph J. 1 5 If they were ever a diftindt na- 

Mareft, of the Society of Jefus, Jong tion, thefe Mafcoiitcns have now 

a miflionary in the weft, certainly merged in the Sacs, Foxes and Kika- 

from 1689 to 1711, though it may poos. 

be his brother Gabriel, who was on ^t 1 c 1 \- rr^- ■ 

. T,i. . -rr ■ ,,^ 101 do not nnd thisname of Kipi- 

the Illmois million m 1700. , . ir- 1 n ■ ,,- 1 rJ\ 

kawi or Kipikuikwi eilewhere. The 

14 Milwaukee, written on fome river is evidently that emptying into 
early maps Melloki and Melleoki. the Lake at Racine, and this route 
For Latinizing this laft form has ad- was up the Root River and then by a 
vantages. portage acrofs to the Fox, or Pifh- 



Down the Mijftjffippi . 51 

afcend by this river, and that after making a portage 
of about nine leagues, we could defcend by another 
river called Piftrui,'^ which empties into the River 
of the Illinois about twenty-five or thirty leagues 
from Chikagu.'^ We avoided this river, which is 
about twenty leagues in length up to the portage. 
It palTes through quite pleafant prairies, but as 
there was no water in it, we judged fagely too that 
there would not be in the Beflikwi,'^ and that in- 
ftead of fliortening our way, we fhould have had 
to make nearly forty leagues of the way as a port- 
age. This obliged us to take the route of Chicagu, 



taka (Beftikwi) river, which they 
defcended to the Illinois. The 
names in this memoir have fufFered 
greatly in tranfcription, and the 
copyill feems to have been efpecially 
bothered by the y, which he re- 
places by vv or w, and fometimes 
by r and k. As a vowel it corre- 
fponds to the Englifh oo (French ou) 
as a confonant to w. 

lyjoutclon his map gives the 
name of Petcfcouy to this river, and 
Charlevoix {^HiJ}. de la NouveUe 
France, vol. iii, p. 380) mentions 
it as the Pifticoui ; it is now called 
the Fox or Pilhtaka or Pillakee, and 
a lake on its courfe is alfo Hill called 
Piftakee. 

18 The party made their way to 
Chicago, where they found a Jefuit 
Miami miffion. The milTion of St. 
Jofeph's has been ufually fuppofcd 
to have been on the St. Jofeph's 
river from the firft. Chicago was 



from a \(try early date a place of 
importance, as one of the routes to 
the MifTiffippi. Perrot is faid to have 
vifited it in 1671, but this is only an 
inference of Charlevoix, not borne 
out by the manufcript of Perrot, to 
which he refers, Marquette and 
Joliet paflTed by it on their return 
from their exploration of theMiflif- 
fippi. Marquette pafTed a winter 
there fubfequently, Allouez took 
the fame route in 1677. La Salle 
on his fecond journey to the Illinois 
went by the way of Chicago, 
Joutel and Cavelier, the author 
of the preceding Journal, were at 
Chicago in 1687-8, and La Hontan 
the next year came back from the 
Miffiffippi by the fame route. After 
the prefent author Charlevoix de- 
fcribes the line of travel by Chicago, 
and the portage is called Portage 
aux Chcnes. On De 1' Iflc's map 
ofLouifiana (circa 1717) the Del- 
plaines Is called the Chicago. 



52 St. Cofmes Voyage 

which is about twenty-five leagues from it. We 
remained five days at Kipikufkwi. 

We left it on the 17th, and afi:er having been 
detained by wind the i8th and 19th, we cabined 
on the 20th five leagues from the Chicaqw. We 
{hould have reached it early on the 21 ft, but the 
wind, which fuddenly fprung up from the lake, 
obliged us to land half a league from Apkavv.'^ We 
had confiderable difficulty in getting afhore and 
faving our canoes. We had to throw everything 
into the water. This is a thing which you mufi: 
take good care of along the lakes, and efpecially on 
[Lake] Miffigan, (the fhores of which are very flat) 
to land foon when the water fwells from the lake, 
for the breakers get fo large in a fhort time that 
the canoes are in rifk of going to pieces and 
lofing all on board ; feveral travellers have already 
been wrecked there. We went by land, Mr. de 
Montigny,-° Davion and myfelf, to the houfe of 

1 9 This name is inexplicable, by MclTrs Davion and St. Cofme. 

They certainly ftoppcd at Chicago, The outfit of this million is faid to 

and the name may have been a have colt io,8::o livres. They 

tranfcribcr's blunder for cctte place, founded a miflion at Tamarois, of 

that place. which the Jefuits complained, and 

after confiderable altercation Mr. 

10 Rev. Francis JoLLiET DE MoN- de Montigny in 1700 retired, and 

TiGNY, the leader of the party going to France rcfufed to return to 

whofc journey is here defcribed, America. He was then fent to 

was born at Paris, but ordained at China where he labored with great 

Quebec, March 8, 1693. After zeal, and becoming Secretary to 

ioeingCure of St. Ange Gardienand Cardinal de Tourhon fhared his 

Diredor of the Urfulincs, he fet out exile and attended him on his death 

to found a miffion of the Seminary bed in prifon at Macao. Mr. de 

of Quebec on the MifTiffippi. He Montigny then returned to Paris 

bore the appointment of Vicar u' d there became Direftor of the 

General of the Bifliop of Quebec, Foreign Miffions, and died in 1725 

^nd was attended, as we here fee, at the age of 64, 



Down the Mijftjfftppi. 53 

the Reverend Jefuit Fathers, our people ftaying with 
the baggage. We found there Rev. Father Pinet^' 
and Rev. Father Buinateau,-- who had recently 
come in from the Illinois and were flightly lick. 

I cannot explain to you, Monfeigneur, with 
what cordiality and. marks of efteem thefe reverend 
Jefuit Fathers received and carefTed us during the 
time that we had the confolation of ftaying with 
them. Their houfe is built on the banks of the 
fmall lake, having the lake on one fide and a fine 
large prairie on the other. The Indian village is 
of over 150 cabins, and one league on the river 
there is another village almoft as large. They are 
both of the Miamis. Rev. Father Pinet makes it 
his ordinary relidence except in winter, when the 
Indians all go hunting, and which he goes and 
fpends at the Illinois. We faw no Indians there, 
they had already ftarted for their hunt. If we may 
judge of the future by the little while that Father 
Pinet has been on this million, we may fay that 
God blelTes the labors and zeal of this holy miffion- 
ary. There will be a great number of good and 
fervent Chriftians there. It is true that little fruit 
is produced there in thofe who have grown up and 
hardened in debauchery, but the children are bap- 
tized and even the medicine men, moll oppofed to 

2'i Father Francis Pinet was the a miffionary in Maine in 1693, and 
founder of the Tamaroismiffion and died of a fever brought on by his 
died there about 1704. labors foon after this vifit of St. 

Cofme, as Father Gravier in 1700 

2-Father Julian Binneteau was does not refer to him, 

H 



54 *5'/. Cofifies Voyage 

Chriflianity, allow their children to be baptized. 
They arc even very glad to have them inftruded. 
Many girls already grou^n up and many young 
boys are being inftrudted, fo that it may be hoped 
that when the old ftock dies off there will be a 
new Chriftian people. 

On the 24th of Ocflober, the wind having 
fallen, we made our canoes come with all our bag- 
gage, and perceiving that the waters were extremely 
low we made a cache on the fliore and took only 
what was abfolutely necelTary for our voyage, re- 
ferving till fpring to fend for the reft, and we left 
in charge of it Brother x\lexander, who confented 
to remain there with Father Pinet's man, and we 
ftarted from Chicaqw on the 29th and put up for 
the night about two leagues off, in the little river 
which is then loft in the prairies. The next day 
we began the portage, which is about three leagues 
long when the water is low, and only a quarter of 
a league in the fpring, for you embark on a little 
lake that empties into a branch of the river of the 
Illinois,-^ and when the waters are low you have 
to make a portage to that branch. We made half 
our portage that day, and we fhould have made 
fome progrefs further, when we perceived that a 
little boy whom we had received from Mr. de Muys,-+ 

=3 Mud Lake, which empties into French reports of the wefl (O'Cal- 
thc Dcfplaines, anci called by the . laghan's New York Col. Doc, ix ), 
voyagcurs Le petit Lac. Sec note, and is apparently the one appointed 
p. 51. Governor of Louifiana in 1707 ; a 

2^4 M. DE MuYs. An officer of Lieutenant of the fame name was at 
this name figures feveral times in the F^''' ^^^ ^^^'^ i" Odober, 1753. 



Down the MijfiJJtppi. ^^ 

having flarted on alone, although he had been told 
to wait, had got loft without any one paying atten- 
tion to it, all hands being engaged. We were 
obliged to ftop and look for him. All fet out, we 
fired feveral guns, but could not find him. It was 
a very unfiDrtunate milhap, we were prefled by the 
feafon and the waters being very low, we law well 
that being obliged to carry our efFedils and our canoe 
it would take us a great while to reach the Illinois. 
This made us part company, Mr. de Montigny, 
de Tonty and Davion,^5 continued the portage 
next day, and I with four other men returned to 
look for this little boy, and on my way back I met 
Fathers Pinet and Buinateau who were going with 
two Frenchmen and one Indian to the Illinois. 
We looked for him again all that day without be- 
ing able to find him. As next day was the feaft 
of All Saints this obliged me to go and pafs the 
night at Chikagou with our people, who having 
heard mafs and performed their devotions early, 
we fpent all that day too in looking for that little 
boy without being able to get the leaft trace. It 
was very difficult to find him in the tall grafs, for 
the whole country is prairies ; you meet only fome 
clumps of woods. As the grafs was high we durft 

^5 Rev. Anthony Davion began incorrigible tribe drove him out. 

a miffion among the Tonicas, but He retired to New Orleans about 

labored almoft in vain. On the 1722, and died in France about 

murder of Rev. Mr. Foucault he 1727. He is faid to have been a 

retired to Mobile, but returned to native of Normandy and to have 

his port in 1704, and remained for arrived at Quebec in 1690. 
over twelve years, till in faft the 



56 St» Cofmes Voyage 

not fet fire to it for fear of burning him. Mr. de 
Montigny had told me not to ftay over a day, be- 
caufe the cold was becoming fevere ; this obliged 
me to ftart after giving Brother Alexander direc- 
tions to look for him and to take fome of the French 
who were at Chicag8. 

I fet out the fecond of November in the after- 
noon, made the portage, and llept at the river of the 
Illinois :^^ we went down the river to an illand. 
During the night we were furprized to fee an inch 
of fnow and the next day the river frozen in feveral 
places, yet we had to break the ice and drag the 
canoe, becaufe there was no water ; this forced us 
to leave our canoe and go in fearch of Mr. de 
Montigny, whom we overtook next day, the 5th of 
the month, at Stag Ifland (Ille aux Cerfs). They 
had already made two leagues portage, and there 
were ftill four to make to Monjolly, which we 
made in three days and arrived on the 8th of the 
rnonth. From Ifle a la Cache to Monjolly-^ is the 

26 This is probably a miftake of France, which took its name from 

the copyift. the following circumitance : 

" Madcmoifcllc Joly, a French 

ay This is the "well known mound "aftrcfs of the latter part of the 

" at Joliet, now called Mount Joliet, " eighteenth century, having paflcd 

" once fuppofed to be a work of art, " fome agreeable hours on a hill near 

" but now generally conceded to be " Falaifc, called La Roche-Saint- 

** a natural formation. The mate- " Ouentin, left direftions in her will 

" rials for paving ufcd in Chicago "that her remains 'fliould be carried 

"are obtained from that fource." "to this fohtary hill, which was fo 

Letter of William Barry, EJq. " dear to her heart.' Her wiflies 

Mount Joliet may be a miftake for " were obeyed, and the hill has ever 

Monjolly, and Monjolly not a cor- " fince been called Mont-Joly." 

ruption. There is a Mont Joly in An Indian legend as to this mound 

is given a few lines lower down. 



Down the Mijftjfippi. S7 

fpace of feven leagues. You muft always make a 
portage, there being no water in the river except in 
the fpring. All along this river is very agreeable. 
It is prairies fkirted by hills and very fine woods, 
where there are numbers of deer as well as on the 
river. There is abundance of game of all kinds, fo 
that one of our men ftrolling around after making 
the portage, killed enough to give us a plentiful 
fupper and breakfaft next morning. Monjolly is 
a mound of earth in the prairie, on the right as 
you go down, flightly elevated, about thirty feet. 
The Indians fay that at the time of a great deluge 
one of their anceftors efcaped, and that this little 
mountain is his canoe which he turned over there. 
On leaving Monjolly we made about two leagues 
to another little portage of about a quarter of a 
league. As one of our men, named Charbonneau, 
had killed feveral turkeys and geefe in the morning 
and a deer, we did well to give fomewhatof a treat 
to our people and let them reft for a day. 

On the loth we made the little portage and 
found half a league of water, and then two men 
towed the canoe for a league ; the reft marched on 
land, each with his pack, and we embarked for the 
fpace of a league and a half and ftopped for the 
night at a little portage, five or fix arpens-^ off". 

On the I ith, after making the little portage, we 
came to the river Tealike,^^ which is the real river 

^•S The arpent is about 200 feet. Canadians, as Charlevoix tells us 
^9 The Kankakee, called by die (vol- "i, P- 37°), corrupted to Kia- 
Indians Theakiki, a name which the ^^^^> whence Kankakee. 



58 Sf. Co/me' s Voyage 

of the Illinois ; that which we had defcended be- 
ing only a branch. We put all our affairs in the 
canoe, which two men towed, while Mr. de 
Tonty and we with the reft of our men marched 
on land, always through beautiful prairies. We 
arrived at the village of the Peanzichias Miamis 

who formerly dwelt on the of the Miffiffippi 

and who fome years fince came and fettled in this 
place. There was no one in the village, all having 
gone out hunting. We went that day to halt near 
Maffacre, which is a little river that empties into the 
river of the Illinois. -9 It was from this day that we 
began to have buffalo, and the next day two of our 
men killed four, but as thefe animals are lean at this 
feafon, they contented themfelves with taking the 
tongueSc Thefe cattle feem to me larger than ours ; 
they have a hump on the back, the legs are very 
{hort, the head very large and fo covered with long 
hair, that it is faid a ball cannot penetrate it. We 
afterwards faw them almoft every day during our 
voyage to the Akanfeas. 

After having had to carry our baggage for three 
days, and put it all together in the canoe, the river 
being low and full of rocks, we arrived on the 
15th of November at the place called the Old Fort. 
It is a rock which is on the bank of the river about 
a hundred feet high, where Mr. de la Salle built a 

29 The Iroquois River, Charlevoix there furprifed and cut to pieces by 

tells us {Hiji. dela Nouvelle France, the Illinois, but the prcfent Iroquois 

vol, in, p. 380), was fo called be- is a branch of the Kankakee above 

caufe an Iroquois war party was the Defplaines. 



Down the Mijftjfippi. 59 

fort which he abandoned.3° The Indians having 
gone to ftay about twenty-five leagues lower down, 
we flept a league below, where we found two In- 
dian cabins. We were confoled to fee one per- 
fe(Slly good Chriftian woman. 

From Chicagvv to the Fort they reckon thirty 
leagues. Here navigation begins, which continues 
uninterrupted to the Fort of the Permavevvi,^' where 
the Indians are now. We arrived there on the 
19th of November. We found R. Father Pinet 
there, who not being loaded when they ftarted 
from Chicagou had arrived here fix or feven days 
before us. We alfo faw there Rev. Father Marays, 
a Jefuit. All the reverend Fathers gave us all pof- 
fible welcome. Their only regret was to fee us 
ftart fo foon, on account of the frofts, we there 
took a Frenchman who had fpent three years at 
the Akanfeas and who knows the language a little. 

This Illinois mifTion feems to me the fined that 
Jefuit Fathers have up here, for without counting 
all the children who are baptized, there are many 
grown perfons who have abandoned all their fuper- 
ftitions and live as perfed:ly good Chriftians, fre- 
que'nting the facraments, and are married in the 
church. We had not the confolation of feeing all 
thefe good Chriftians, for they were all difperfed 
going down the bank of the river to hunt. We 
faw there only fome Indian women married to 
Frenchmen, who edified us by their modefiiy and 

30 Rockfort. of the Illinois nation, who have left 

their name to a lake, 
3 1 The Peorias, one of the branches 



6o St. Cofme's Voyage 

by their affiduity in going feveral times a day to 
the chapel to pray. We fang High Mafs there 
with deacon and fubdeacon, on the day of the 
Prefentation of the Blefled Virgin, and after com- 
mending our voyage to her, and placing ourfelves 
under her protection, we ftarted from the Illinois. 

On the 22d of November we had to break the 
ice for two or three arpens to get out of the lake 
of . We were four canoes, Mr. de Tonty's, 

our two, and another [of five?] young voyageurs who 
chofe to accompany us, partly on account of Mr. de 
Tonty, who is generally loved by all the voyageurs, 
partly alfo to fee the country. Rev. Fathers Buina- 
teau and Pinet alfo joined us for a part of the way, 
wifhing to go and fpend the whole winter with 
their Indians. 

The firft day after our departure we found the 
cabin of Rouenfas,^^ the moft confiderable of the 
Illinois chiefs. He is a very good Chriftan and 
received us politely, not like a barbarian, but like a 
well bred Frenchman ; he took us to his cabin and 
forced us to fpend the night there. He made us a 
prefent of three deer, one of which he gave to the 
Father, the other to Mr. de Tonty, and the third 
to us. We there learned that the Charanon, the 
Chekaihas, and Karkinonpols had furprized the 

32 The name of this chief, Roinfac, Cha8anon, or Shawnee ; the Karki- 
was applied fubfequently to the town nonpols are uncertain ; the Chekaihas 
of Kafkafkia. are the Chickafaws ; the Kavvkias 

are the Kabkias or Cahokias, an 
33 The copyift, as we remarked Illinois tribe, 
before, has r for the Greek B in 



Down the MiJpJ/tppi, 6i 

Kawklas, an Illinois nation that is about five or fix 
leagues below the mouth of the River of the Illi- 
nois along the Miciffipi. They had killed ten 
men, taken nearly loo Haves, as well women as 
children. As this Rouenfas has much talent, we 
thought ourfelves obliged to make him fome pre- 
fent to induce him to favour our pafTage through 
the Illinois nations, not To much for this firft voyage 
as for the others, when we might be in lefs force, 
for all thefe peoples up here are much inclined and 
ealily conceive jealoufy when one goes to other 
nations. We therefore gave him a belt to (how 
him that we contracted an alliance with him, and 
with all his nation, and that he being a Chriftian 
ihould have no greater pleafure than to fee other 
nations partake of the happinefs that he enjoyed, 
and that to this end he was bound to facilitate as 
much as he could the defign of the miffionaries 
who were going to initrucft them. We then made 
him a little prefent of powder. 

On the 23d in the morning, after faying our 
maiTes, where Rouenfas and his family received at 
Mr. de Montigny's mals, we fet out and came to a 
little Indian village where we landed. The chief, 
by name the Bear, told us that it was not apropos 
for us to go to the Miciffipi, but Mr. de Tonty 
gained or intimidated him by thefe words, telling 
him that we were envoys from the Mafter of Life, 
who is the king, and of the great mafter of the 
river, to inftrud: thofe Indians where we were 
I 



62 Sf. Coffnes Voyage 

going, and that he was fpared by the Governor 
to accompany us, fo that to give us any trouble 
would be to attack the Governor in perfon. As he 
made no reply to thefe words we embarked, and on 
the 24th we went to pafs the night at another vil- 
lage of feveral cabins, where we found the one 
called Tivet, once a famous chief in his nation, but 
of late abandoned by almoft all his people. He 
made many complaints to Mr. de Tonty, who re- 
proached him with the fa6l that it was his mifcon- 
du(5t that drew on him the hatred of his people, 
and that he had long promifed to give up his jug- 
glery (for he is a famous medicine man), but that 
he had done nothing of the kind. He was after- 
wards there at prayers, and the Indian promifed to 
be inftrudled. 

The next day, March 25th, we parted with Rev. 
Father Pinet, who remains in this village to pafs 
the winter, for there was a good number of Praying 
Indians, and on the 26 we found a village, the 
chief of which was hunting with all his young men. 
Some old men came to meet us, weeping for the 
death of their people defeated by the Chabanons. 
They told us that we did not do well to go through 
che Carrechias^^^ with the Chauanons, to whom, 
they faid, Mr. de Tonty had given arms and had 
attacked them. Mr. de Tonty replied that it was 
over three years iince he left the Illinois, and that 
he could not have i^^n the Chauanons to give them 
arms, but as the Indians continued conftantly fay- 

34The copyift here evidently blundered at Caiikias. 



Down the Miffijftppi. 63 

ing many unreafonable things, we faw well that 
they were not well dKpofed and that we fhould 
ftart as foon as poffible, before the youth, who were 
to arrive next morning, came in. We accordingly 
left abruptly, Mr. de Tonty telling them that he 
did not fear men. They told us that they bewailed 
our youth, who would be killed. Mr. de Tonty 
replied that they had feen him meet the Iroquois, 
and that they knew that he could kill men. It 
muft be avowed that the Indians have a very great 
efteem for him ; it is enough for him to be in a 
party to prevent their offering any infult. We 
embarked at once and went to pafs the night five 
or fix leagues from this village. The next day we 
were detained a part of the day by reafon of a great 
quantity of ice that was floating in the river. 

On the 28th we landed at a village where there 
were about twenty cabins. We there faw the 
chief's wife. This woman is very influential in 
the nation on account of her talent and liberality, 
and becaufe having many fons and fons-in-law, 
all hunters, fhe often gives banquets, which is a 
means of foon acquiring influence among thefe 
Indians, and all their nations. We faid mafs in 
the village in the cabin of a foldier named La 
Violette, married to a fquaw, whofe child Mr. de 
Montigny baptized. Mr. de Tonty related to this 
chieftainefs what they had faid to us in the laft 
village. She dilapproved it all and told him that 
all the nation felt great joy to fee him and us too. 



64- St, Cofmes Voyage 

but what grieved her was not to be fure of feeing 
him again and poiTeffing him longer. 

We left this village and made about eight leagues. 
From the 29th of November to the 3d of Decem- 
ber we were detained at the fame place by the ice, 
by which the river was entirely blocked up. 
During all this time we had provifions in plenty, 
for one can not fall on this river, fo abundant is it 
in game of all kinds, fwans, geefe, ducks. It Is 
fkirted by very fine woods, which are not very 
large, fo that you fometlmes meet fine prairies, 
where there are numbers of deer. Charbonneau 
killed feveral while we were detained. Others alfo 
killed fome. The navigation of this river is not 
very good when the water is low. We were 
fometlmes obliged to march with a part of our 
people while the others condudled the canoes, not 
without difficulty, being fometlmes obliged to get 
into the water which was already very cold. 
During our delay, Rev. Father Bulneteau, whom 
we had left at the village of the chief's wife, came 
to fee us and after fpending a day with us returned 
to the village for the Feafl of St. Francis Xavier. 
On that day a high wind having broken a part 
of the ice we made about a league. The next 
day, having taken wooden canoes at five Indian 
cabins, we broke about three or four arpens of ice 
that blocked up the river, and was about four 
inches thick and bore men on it. Then we had 
navigation free to the Miciffipi, where we arrived 



Down the Mijftjftppi, 65 

on the 5th of December, after having made about 
eight leagues from the Fort of Peniteni.35 

Miciffippi is a large and beautiful river, that 
comes from the north. It divides into feveral 
channels at the part where the river of the Illinois 
empties, which forms very beautiful iflands. It 
makes feveral bends but feems to me to keep always 
the fame direction to the fouth as far as the Akanfeas. 
It is lined by very fine forefts. The bank on both 
fides appears about thirty feet high, which does 
not prevent its inundating far into the woods in 
the fpring when the waters are high, except fome 
hills or very elevated fpots occafionally met with. 
You find all along great quantities of buffalo, bear, 
deer. You alfo fee a very great number of birds. 
We always had fo great a quantity of meat along 
this river as far as the Acanfeas, that we pafiTed 
feveral herds of buffalo without caring to fire at 
them. 

On the 6th of December we embarked on the 
MicilTippi. After making about fix leagues we 
found the great river of the MifTouris, which comes 
from the wefl, and which is fo muddy that it fpoils 
the waters of the MicifTipi, which down to this 
river are very clear. It is faid that there are up 
this mountain (river?) a great number of Indians. 
Three or four leagues [further] we found on the 
left a rock having fome figures painted on it, for 
which, it is faid, the Indians have fome veneration. 

35 Pometeouy, or Peoria it would from the Miffiffippi in 1 7 2 1 . Charle- 
feem, but that was feventy leagues voix,\\\, 391. 



66 St. Cofmes Voyage 

They are now almoft efFaced.3^ We went that 
day to Kavvechias,37 who were ftill mourning over 
the blow inflidled on them by the Chikakas and 
Chouanons ; they all began to weep on our arrival. 
They did not feem to us fo hoftile or ill difpofed as 
fome Illinois Indians had told us of thefe poor 
people, who excited more our compaffion than our 
fear. 

The next day about noon we reached the Tama- 
rois.3^ The Indians had been early notified of our 
coming by another who had ftarted from the 
Akanfeas39 to carry them the news. As they had 
given trouble to fome of Mr. de Tonty's men a 
year before, they were afraid, and all the women 
and children fled from the village ; but we did not 
go to it, as we wifhed to prepare for the feaft of the 
Conception, we cabined on the other fide of the 
river on the right. Mr. de Tonty went to the 
village and having reafTured them a little, he 
brought us the chief who begged us to go and fee 
him in his village. We promifed to do fo and 
next day, Feaft of the Conception, after faying our 
MafTes we went with Mr. de Tonty and feven of 
our men well armed. They came to receive us 
and took us to the chief's cabin. All the women 
and children were there, and we were no fooner 
there than the young folks and women broke in a 
part to be able to fee us. They had never feen 

36 This is the Piefa, or painted 38 The Tamarois, or Maroas, were 
rock, firft mentioned by Marquette, an Illinois tribe. 

37 Cahokias. 39 This name is evidently wrong. 



Down the MiJJijftppi. 67 

any Black Gown except for a few days the Rev. 
Father Gravier,''^° who had paid them a vifit. 
They gave us a meal, and we made them a little 
prefent as we had done to the Carrechias. We told 
them that it was to (how them that we had a well 
made heart, and that we wifhed to contrad: an 
alliance with them, fo that they (liould kindly re- 
ceive our people who often pafTed there, and that 
they fhould give them food. They received it 
with many thanks and then we returned. The 
Tamarois were cabined on an ifland lower down 
than their village, perhaps to get wood more eafily, 
from which their village, which is on the edge of a 
prairie, is fomewhat diftant ; perhaps too for fear 
of their enemies. We could not well fee whether 
they were very numerous. They feemed to us 
quite fo, although the greater part of their people 
were hunting. There was wherewith to form a 
fine miffion by bringing here the Kavvchias, who 
are quite near, and the Michiagamias, who are a 
little lower down on the MiiTiffippi, and faid to be 
quite numerous.'^' • ^We did not fee them as they 
had gone inland to hunt. The three villages fpeak 
Illinois. 

We left Tamarois on the 8th of December, in 

f 

40 The author of a fubfequenC fore 1721 (Charlevoix, vol. ni, p. 
Journal in this volume. 398). Their language was how- 
ever different, as we fee by Fa- 

41 The Metchigamias were lower ther Marquette's Journal where 
down the Miffiffippi in Marquette's he defcribes the critical moment 
time, but joined the Illinois and be • when the tribe poured out to attack 
came incorporated with them be- him, 



68 St. Cofmes Voyage 

the afternoon. On the loth we faw a hill which 
is about three arpents diftance from the Miciffipi, 
on the right hand going down. After being de- 
tained a part of the nth by the rain, we arrived 
early on the 12th at Cape St. Antoine, where we 
remained that day and all the next to get pitch, 
which we needed. There are many pines from 
Cape St. Antoine to a river lower down, and it 
is the only fpot where I faw any from Chigagou 
to the Acanfeas. Cape St. Antoine is a rock on 
the left as you go down Some arpents below there 
is another rock on the right which advances into 
the river, and forms an ifland, or rather a rock 
about 200 feet high, which making the river turn 
back very abruptly and narrowing the channel 
forms a kind of whirlpool there, where it is faid 
a canoe is ingulfed at the high waters. Fourteen 
Miamis were once loft there, which has rendered 
the fpot fearful among the Indians, fo that they are 
accuftomed to make fome facrifices to this rock 
when they pafs. We faw no figure there as we 
had been told.*- You afcend this ifland and rock 
by a hill with confiderable difficulty. On it we 
planted a beautiful crofs, finging the Vexilla Regisy 
and our people fired three volleys of mufketry. 
God grant that the Crofs which has never been 
known in thefe regions, may triumph there and 
our Lord pour forth abundantly on them the merits 
of his holy pafilon, that all the Indians may know 

42 See Marquette's account in his Journal, fedlion 7. 



Dow7t the Mijftjfippi. 69 

and ferve him. At Cape St. Antoine you begin to 
find canes. There is alfo a kind of large tree hke 
the whitewood, which exudes a gum of very good 
odor ; you find too all along the Miciflipi a quantity 
of fruit trees unknown in Canada, the fruit of which 
is excellent. We found fometimes fruit flill on the 
trees. I had forgotten to note here that [fince] we 
were on the MicifTipi we did not perceive that we 
were in winter, and the more we defcended the 
greater heat we found, yet the nights are cool. 

We left Cape St. Antoine on the 14th of De- 
cember, and on the 15th we halted for the night 
one league below the Wabache,'^^ a large and beau- 
tiful river which is on the left of the MicifTipi and 
comes from towards the north, and is they fay five 
hundred leagues long, and rifes near the Sonontu- 
ans.'^'^ They go by this river to the Chauanons, 
who trade with the Englidi. 

On the 1 6th we ftarted from Wabache, and 
nothing fpecial befel us, nor did we find any thin<y 
remarkable till the Acanfeas, except that we found 
a certain bird, as large as a fwan, which has the bill 
about a foot long, and the throat of extraordinary 
fize, fo large in ibme, they fay, that it would hold 
a bufhel of wheat. The one that we took was a 
fmall one and would eafily have held in his throat 

43 The Ohio, long called Wa- Gravier's Journal in this volume, 
bafh by the French from its mouth and the note on the Arkanfas, p. 75). 
to the fource of the prefcnt Wa- 
bafh ; the Ohio being the part from 44 Senecas, 
Pittfburgh to the Wabafh (fee 

K 



70 St. Cofmes Voyage 

half a bufhel. They fay that this bird gets in the 
current, and opening his large bill [takes the fifh] that 
thruft themfelves into his gullet. Our Frenchmen 
call this bird Chibek.^5 On the 2 2d we found a 
fmall river on the left going down, which is faid to 
be the road to go to the Chicachas, who are a large 
nation, and it is fuppofed that it is not very far from 
this little river to their villages. 

On the 24th we cabined early fo that our people 
might prepare for the great feafl: of Chriftmas. 
We made a little chapel ; we fang a high mafs at 
midnight where our people and all the French at- 
tended their duties. Chriftmas day was fpent in 
faying our maffes, all which our people heard and 
in the afternoon we chanted Vefpers. We were 
greatly aftoniflied to fee the earth tremble at one 
clock in the afternoon, and although this earth- 
quake did not laft long, it was violent enough for 
all to perceive it eafily. We ftarted next day a 
little late, becaufe we had to wait for an Indian 
boy that Mr. de Tonty had, who went into the 
woods the day before to look for fruit and got loft. 
We thought that he might have been taken by 
fome Chicacha warriors, which obliged us to keep 
watch and ward all night, but we were quite glad 
to fee him come back next morning. We fet out 
and went to cabin for the night near the'fpot where 
the Kappas,'^^ a nation of the Akanfeas were 
formerly. 

45 The Grandgozier or Pelican, powerful Arkanfas nation. Some 

46 This tribe, the Quapaws, is wo^'d identify them with the Paca- 
now the fole remnant of the once ^^^ °^ ^^ ^°^°' 



Down the Miffijftppi, 71 

On St. John's day, after making about five 
leagues, we law fome wooden canoes and an Indian 
on the water's edge ; as we were near and were 
afraid that he would take to flight on feeing us, 
one of our men took the calumet and fung. He 
was heard at the village which was quite near; a 
part ran away, the others brought the calumet and 
came to receive us at the water's edge. They 
rubbed us when we came up and then rubbed 
themfelves, a mark of efteem among the Indians. 
They took us on their ihoulders and carried us to 
a chief's cabin. There was a hill of potter's clay 
to get up and the one that carried fank under his 
burden. I was afraid that he would let me fall and 
fo I got down in fpite of him and went up the hill, 
but as foon as I got to the top I had abfolutely to 
get on his back and be carried to the cabin. Some 
time after they came to chant the Calumet''^^ for us, 
and the next afternoon they carried us to another 
cabin, where making Mr. de Tonty and us alfo 
fit down on bear fkins, and four chiefs having each 
taken a calumet that they had placed before us, the 
others began to fing, ftriking on a kind of drum, 
made of earthen pots over which they place a fkin : 
they hold in their hands a gourd with pebbles in it, 
which make a noife, and then chant according with 
the found of thefe drums, and the found of thefe 
gourds. This makes a mufic which is not the moft 
agreeable, while an Indian who was behind rocked 

47 Marquette firrt: dcfcribcd the fome intcrcfl:ing details as to it. 
Calumet, and Father Gravicr gives 



72 St. Cofrtes Voyage 

us. We were foon difgufted with this ceremony", 
which they perform for all ftrangers, as they efteem 
it and you muft fuffer it or pafs for being ill dif- 
pofed and having bad defigns. We put fome of our 
people in our place after flaying there a little while, 
and they had the pleafure of being rocked all night. 
The next day they made us a prefent of a little 
flave and of fome fkins, which we repaid by another 
prefent of knives and other things that they efleem 
highly. We were much confoled to fee ourfelves 
in the [propofed] places of our miflions, but we were 
fenfibly afflidted to fee this Acanfea nation once fo 
numerous entirely deftroyed by war and ficknefs. 
It is not a month fince they got over the fmall 
pox which carried off the greateft part of them. 
There was nothing to be feen in the village bul 
graves. There were two [tribes] together there 
and we eftimated that there were not a hundred 
men ; all the children and a great part of the wo- 
men were dead. Thefe Indians feem of a very good 
difpofition. We were every moment invited to 
feafts. They poffefs extraordinary fidelity. They 
tranfported all we had to a cabin, and it remained 
there for two days without anything being taken, 
and for ourfelves there was nothing loft. One of 
our men having forgotten his knife in a cabin, an 
Indian at once came to reftore it. Polygamy is 
not common among them. Yet we faw in the 
village of the Kappas one of thofe wretched men 
who from their youth drefs as women, ferving 
for the moft ftiameful of vices, but this wretch was 



Down the Mijfijfippi, 73 

not of their nation : he was an Illinois, among 
whom this is quite common. Thefe Indians have 
in abundance, corn, beans, fquaflies. As for hunt- 
ing, being crufhed by ficknefs and in conftant fear 
of their enemies, we faw no figns of any in their 
village. They cabin like the Hurons, ufing large 
earthen pots inftead of kettles and well made 
pitchers. They are quite naked except that when 
they go out they throw a buffalo robe around 
them. The women and girls are like the Illinois 
half naked : they have a fkin hanging down from 
the waift and reaching to the knees ; fome have a 
fmall deer fkin like a fcarf. 

We remained in this village two days and a half, 
and after planting a crofs that we told them was 
a fign of our union, we ftarted on the 30th of 
November [ ? December] to go to their other vil- 
lage which is about nine leagues from this. It 
was a deep regret to part with Mr. de Tonty who 
could not go with us for feveral reafons. He 
would much have defired to bear us company to 
the other nations where we were going, but bufi- 
nefs called him back to the Illinois. He is the 
man that beft knows the country. He has been 
twice to the fea; he has been twice far inland to 
the remoteft nations ; he is loved and feared every 
where. If they were exploring thefe parts, I do 
not think that they can confide it to a more expe- 
rienced man than he is. Your grace, Monfeigneur, 
will, I doubt not, take pleafure in acknowledging 
the obligations we owe him. 



74 St. Cofmes Voyage 

We llept at the mouth of the Acanfeas river, 
which is about 250 leagues diftant from that of the 
lUinois. We arrived early next morning at the 
village. The Indians came to meet us with the 
calumet; they led us to the village with the fame 
ceremonies as the firft. We fpent two days there. 
This village feems to me a little more populous 
than the other, there were more children. We 
told them that we were going further down to 
their neighbours and friends ; that they would fee 
us often ; that they would do well to aiTemble all 
together fo as more eafily to refift their enemies. 
They agreed to all and promifcd to try and make 
the Ozages join them, who had left the river of the 
MifTouris and were on the upper waters of their 
river. 

We ftarted on the 2d of January and went to 
cabin at the mouth of the river, where the French, 
who were going back, would give us only one day 
to write. I expelled to have more time to do it, 
hoping to go up from the Acanfeas to the Illinois, 
but as we are going much further down I am afraid 
that the letters that we write hereafter may not 
reach you this year, the opportunity being part: 
when we reached the Illinois. I therefore beg 
your grace to excufe me, if this is fomewhat ill 
digelled. Time prelTes fo much on rne, that I 
cannot write even to any of our gentlemen, whom 
I beg you to permit me to falute and commend 
myfelf to their holy facrifices. I hope that your 
Grace will grant me the farne favour. 



Down the MijfiJJtppi. j^ 

From his good fervant before our Lord. From 
him who is with the mofl profound refped:, 



Monfeigneur, 



Your Grace's 

Mofl: humble and moft, &c. 



Letter of Mr. de Montigny. 

WE arrived fafely among the nations that we 
fought after fix months' navigation, which 
was not interrupted by winter. Thefe nations have 
received us with a joy and a welcome that I can- 
not exprefs, efpecially when they learned that we 
had come to ftay among them. The firft among 
whom we thought of eftablifhing [a miflion] are 
the Tonicas, who are iixty leagues lower down 
than the Akanfeas.^^ Mr. Davion has ftationed 
himfelf there. The fpot where he is is quite fine. 

48 The Arkanfas were evidently of the Arkanfas, from its having 

Co called by the northern Algonquin been the refidence of that people, 

nations, and efpecially by the Illi- La Metairie, the notary of La Salle's 

nois. Marquette firll gives the expedition, calls the Ohio, the Oli- 

name Akanfca, and the French ghinfipou, or Aleghin, evidently an 

who fettled in Illinois feem to Algonquin word, Jtpou being the 

have confirmed it. The tribe call- term river. Arkanfas is written in 

ed themfelves Ouguapas or Qua- fome of the early Louifiana papers 

paws, apparently the Ouyapes of Alkanfas. This and Aleghin or 

Charlevoix. Their language is a Olighin, in the French pronuncia- 

Dahcotah dialed!:. Gravier in his tion are not very diffimilar. When 

Journal ftates the important fadl that we confider that the Delawares and 

the Illinois called the Ohio, the river Illinois, are kindred nations of the 



76 St. Cofme's Voyage 

With fome fmall villages ot fome other nation 
who are with them, they make about 2000 fouls. 
About one day's journey lower down (that is to fay 
20 leagues), are the Taenfas, who fpeak another 
language. They are only a fhort day's journey 
from the Natchez, who are of the fame nation and 
fpeak the fame language. For the prefent I refide 
among the Taenfas,'^^ but am to go fliortly to the 
Natchez. This nation is very great and more 
numerous than theTonicas. The Taenfas are only 
about 700 fouls. As for Mr. de St. Cofme he re- 
mains at theTamarouois. The Akanfeas would have 
greatly defired us to flay among them, but as they 
were not alTembled in a fingle village [but fcattered] 
which would have been too difficult to attend, we 
have advifed them to aifemble together fo as to 
have a miffionary. This they are going to do next 
fpring, and they wifh even to make us a houfe alfo 



fame name (Lenni, lllini) it may be 
that the Quappaws are the Allcghans 
or Allegewi, whom the Delawares 
fay they and the Iroquois drove 
down the MiHifTippi. It' the Qua- 
paws are the Pacahas of De Soto, 
the retreat from the Ohio mufl: date 
back to the fifteenth century at leaft. 
When firfl; difcovcred by the French 
the Arkanfas were divided into four 
tribes: i, the Kappas; 2, the Toy- 
engan or Tongcnga, Doginga, To- 
gengas or Topingas ; 3, the Tori- 
man, Toreman or Tourimans ; 4, 
the Atotchafi, Ofotonoy or Affbu- 
toue, Ofitteoez, Otfotchove or Sau- 



thouis, as the names are differently 
given by different authors. A rem- 
nant of the tribe ftill exifts, and are 
known as the ^uapaws. 

49 The Taenfas were firfl de- 
fcribed by Father Membre (fee his 
Journal in Dijcovery and Explora- 
tion of the Mi(Ji£ippi Valley, 170-2, 
and alfo Thaumur and Gravier, 
pojl). Le Page da Pratz fays they 
were a branch of the Natchez and 
fpoke the fame language (11, 219). 
They had entirely difappcared prior 
to 1 71 2. (Charlevoix Hift. de la 
Nouvelle France, iii, 4^8.) 



Down the Mijftjftppi. 77 

to induce us to go and fee them and to remain with 
them. Thefe people are very mild, give a warm 
welcome and have a great efteem for the French ; 
they are fedentary, cultivate the earth, living on 
nothing fcarcely but Indian corn. 

I often fpeak of the Tonicas and the Taenfas and 
of thofe who are on the banks of the Miciflipi 
going down to the fea, for far inland the Indians 
are in great numbers. They have rather fine tem- 
ples, the walls of which are of mats. That of the 
Taenfas has walls feven or eight feet thick on ac- 
count of the great number of mats one on another. 
They regard the Serpent as one of their divinities fo 
far as I could fee. They would not dare to accept 
or appropriate anything of the flighteft confequence 
without taking it to the temple. When they re- 
ceive anything it is with a kind of veneration that 
they turn towards this temple. They do not feem 
to be debauched in their lives. On account of the 
great heat the men go naked, and the women and 
girls are not well covered, and the girls up to the 
age of twelve years go entirely naked. They are 
fo mild and have fo much deference for what we 
told them, that I perfuade myfelf that it will not 
be very difficult when I know their language a 
little to reform this abufe, which among them 
makes no impreffion, they being accuftomed to it 
from childhood. They have alfo another abufe. 
When their chiefs are dead, as he has been more 
efteemed, the more perfons they kill who offer 
themfelves to die with him, and laft year, when 
L 



78 St, Cofmes Voyage 

the chief of the Taenfas died, there were twelve 
perfons who offered to die, and whom they toma- 
hawked. There is never any winter among them, 
they do not know fnow and have never (ttn. it. 
There is always grafs tfiere, and at the end of 
January, the peach and plum trees and violets were 
in blolTom. I have feen about this time at the 
Taenfas as great heats as in midfummer at Kebeq, 
and yet thofe who have fpent the fummer there 
affirm that it is not hotter than at Quebec. The 
foil is very good, the Indian corn grows fometimes 
twenty feet high, and a iingle grain will fend out 
ten or twelve ftalks almoft as thick as your arm. 
There are a great many herbs and plants and others 
which are unknown to us. If you have any wifh to 
fee the drefs of our Indians, we fend one to Mr. Leui- 
fen, who will fhow it to you. As we do not know the 
language, we have not yet made any great conver- 
iions, neverthelefs we have the confolation of having 
baptized feveral dying children and a very diftin- 
guifhed chief of the Tonicas, whom we inftrudted 
by interpreters. We were furprifed to fee fuch 
judgment in an Indian and difpofitions as Chriftian 
as what he had. As he was in extremis we bap- 
tized him and gave him the name of Paul. He 
died the next day, after making acfls of religion 
which greatly edified us. 

I beg you kindly to continue your good prayers 
for our miffions, for I am perfuaded and juftly, that 
they it is that have obtained us a profperous voyage. 
I falute all the community. I fhould have liked to 



Down the MiJ/tJftppi. 79 

write to feveral, but have not been able. I am 

more than I can tell, in our Lord 

De Montigny. 
Fro n the Akanfeas, this 2d January, 1699. 



Letter of Mr. Thaumur de la 
Source. 

THIS is to let you know that we have accom - 
plifhed the Akanfeas voyage, quite fafely, 
thank God, and have defcended within 200 leagues 
of the fea. I will not fpeak to you of our route 
from Michilimaquinac to the Akanfeas in this that 
I have the honour of writing you, for fear of tiring 
you. Our gentlemen have drawn up a relation 
which they fend to the Bifhop, I fuppofe that you 
will fee it. It will tell you all the adventures of 
the voyage. We [arrived] on the 1 7th of Decem- 
ber at the Akanfeas, where we were very well re- 
ceived. They did not know how to treat us beft. 

This fine nation, which is fpoken of is almoft 

entirely deftroyed by war and ficknefs. It is a great 
pity. They are the beil: made, frankeft and beft 
difpofed men that we have feen. We planted a 
crofs there and when they go to hunt they do the 
fame thing. On our way back we found one that 
they had planted on the banks of the Miciffipi. 
They await a miflionary in great impatience. 
Mr. de Montigny feeing them irrefolute about 



8o A?/. Cofmes Voyage ^ 

going further down, we fet out on the 4th of Janu- 
ary, with little provifions, expecting to find game 
as ufual, for from Chikagou to the Akanfeas in the 
MicifTipi, the bifon and cows are fo numerous that 
you cannot lack provifions if you have powder and 
ball. Bear and deer are very numerous; we killed 
feveral with fwords. On flarting from the Akan- 
feas we had rain for the fpace of five days, during 
which we made no great progrefs. Our whole 
ftock of provifion confifi:ed of dried fquafii, and 
even of that we did not make half a meal. On 
Twelfth day we did not eat a bit. On the nth 
we arrived at the Tonicas,5° about fixty leagues be- 
low the Akanfeas. The firft village is four leagues 
from the Micifilpi inland on the bank of a quite 
pretty river ; they are difperfed in little villages ; 
they cover in all four leagues of country ; they 
are about 260 cabins. Their houfes are made 
of palifades and earth, and are very large ; they 
make fire in them only twice a day, and do their 
cooking outfide in earthen pots. The married 
women are covered from the waifi: to the knees, 
and the girls are naked up to the age of twelve 
years and fometimes until they are married, and 

5° Marquette, the firfl: to give the They treacheroufly cut off" the Hou- 

name, writes it Tanikwa. The mas foon after. In the Nat:hez 

Tonicas were then oppofite Red war they flood by the French and 

River ; they were always firm friends were nearly deftroved by the Chicka- 

of the French, but the mifllonary faws. Their chief by his fervices 

Davion had little fuccefs among won a French commiffion. Charle- 

them. They expelled him atone voix Hift. de la N. F., in, 433, 

time for deflroying their temple, In 1806 there was a remnant of 

though they had not fufficient re- them at Avoyelle, on the Red River, 

verence for it to build another. Archteologia Americana, \i, 115. 



Down the Mijftjftppi. 8i 

they wear clothes which fcarcely cover them, 
being made after the fafhion of fringes, which they 
(imply place in front. As for the men they are 
drefled in their {kins and are very peaceable people, 
well difpofed, much attached to the French, living 
entirely on Indian corn, they are employed folely 
on their fields ; they do not hunt like the other 
Indians. The Indian corn of this country grows 
1 5 to 20 feet high ; they gather it only as they 
need it. The village of the great chief is in a 
beautiful prairie. Sicknefs was among them when 
we arrived there. One of their chiefs being about 
to die, M. de Montigny afked him through an 
interpreter whether he wifhed to be baptized, to 
which he replied that he defired to be. Having 
given alfo fome tokens of his defire, he was baptized 
and died the next day. They were dying in great 
numbers. They inter their dead and the relations 
come to weep with thofe of the houfe, and in the 
evening they weep over the grave of the departed 
and make a fire there and pafs their hands over it, 
crying out and weeping. Mr. Davion has eftabliflied 
his miffion in this place ; they have a temple on a 
little hill ; we went there to fee it : there are earthen 
figures which are their manitous. We fpent eight 
days in this village and fet out to go to the 
Taenfas, who are twenty leagues lower down. We 
went to pafs the night below the river on the bank 
of the MicilTipi, where we caught their ficknefs by 
the great abundance of rain which lafted a long 
time, and it rained fo violently for two days that 



82 St. Cofmes Voyage 

we were obliged to make a bed for Mr. de Mon- 
tigny on logs of wood. He was fo fick that when 
he wiflied to get up he fainted every moment. 
We had nothing to eat but Indian corn boiled in 
water ; a part of our people were hunting, weary 
and fick as they were. One of them got loft in 
the woods and flept out ; [while] they were looking 
for him, I went hunting, and killed fome little game, 
but Mr. de Montigny would not eat it. We ftarted 
from this place and when evening came we were 
all lick. The next day we arrived at the portage 
of the Taenfas, which is a league long, where we 
flept. I had the fever as well as the reft of them. 
On the 2ift we arrived at the Taenfas. It is a 
league by land and two by water. They are on 
the fhore of a lake three leagues from the Miciffipi. 
They are very humane and docile people. Their 
chief died not long before we arrived. It is their 
cuftom to put to death [many] on this account. 
They told us that they had put to death thirteen 
on the death of the one who died laft. For this 
purpofe they put a root in the fire to burn, and 
when it is confum.ed they kill him with tomahawks. 
The Natchez, who are twelve leagues lower down, 
put men to death o\\ the death of their chief It 
muft be avowed that they are very foolifti to al- 
low themfelves to be killed in this way ; yet it is 
a thing they efteem as great honour and noble- 
heartednefs. They have a pretty large temple, with 
three columns well made, ferpents and other like 
fuperftitions. The temple is encircled by an enclo- 



Down the Mijftjjtppi. 83 

fure made like a wall, it is almoft covered with fkulls. 
They would not let us enter, faying, that thofe 
who entered died. We entered half by force, half 
by confent. The girls and women are dreffed like 
thofe I have mentioned before, and even worfe, for 
we faw fome 25 and 30 years old quite naked. 

We left there on the 27th to return to the To- 
nicas; Mr. de Montigny and Mr. de St. Cofme 
refolved to go up together to bring down the things 
left at Chicagou where Brother Alexander had re- 
mained to guard therh, becaufe there was no water 
in the river of the Illinois. We brought only a 
canoe load of abfolute neceifaries, which we had to 
carry for the diftance of fifteen leagues. We had 
good cheer this fall returning up the MicifTipi. 
One of our men was bitten by a rattle fnake on our 
way back from the Taenfas. It gave him no 
trouble, for Mr. de Montigny, who was at hand, 
gave him a remedy to counteract the efFedt of the 
poifon. In the rivers of the Acanfeas and Tonicas 
and in lake Taenfas, the alligator is in fo great 
numbers, that you will fee thirty together ; he is 
the moft frightful mafter fidi that can be feen. He 
is made like a toad. I faw one that was as large 
as a half hogfhead. There are fome, they fay, as 
large a hogfhead and twelve to fifteen feet long. I 
have no doubt they would fwallow a man up if 
they caught him. 

There were fome Illinois villages that wifhed to 
oppofe our voyage, but they gained nothing ; we 
pafted on in fpite of them and their envy. Mr. de 



84 St, Cofmes Voyage 

Tonty kindly accompanied our gentlemen as far as 
the Acanfeas. We were a ftrong party, and going 
up the Illinois river we came near being plundered 
by the Miamis. They boafted that they would 
rob us as we came up the Illinois river. We are 
not in the humour of letting ourfelves be plundered. 
We are thirty men to defcend the river of the Illi- 
nois. There are as many people at the Tamarois 
as at Kcbeq. Mr. de St. Cofme is at the Tamarois, 
which is eight leagues from the Illinois. It is the 
larseft village that we have feen. There are about 
300 cabins there. 

We arrived on Maundy Thurfday at Chicagou 
after making thirty leagues by land. It rained 
during the lall: two days of our march. Mr. de 
Montigny was much fatigued and I was no lefs fo. 
Much good can be done in the miffions lower 
down, namely, at the Akanfeas, Tonicas and Ta- 
enfas, and feveral other nations that are in their 
vicinity. I believe fo, and they fay that we are 
fpirits. Mr. de Montigny intended to fee all the 
nations and to go to the fea. Having learnt that 
three Frenchmen had been lately killed and we all 
being fick, he probably did not deem it proper. 
He is going to relide at the Taenfas, about one 
hundred leagues diftant from the fea, and I even 
believe that he will go there. All his party are fo 
pleafed with him, that he finds more people than 
he needs, wherever he wiflies to go. On ftarting 
from the Illinois in the month of April, four voy- 
ageurs came exprefs to accompany him, and as he 



Down the Mijffijftp'pi. S^ 

was fatigued they wifhed to carry him, which he 
would not fuffer, and went on afoot. I will tell 
you that Mr. de Montigny took a boy twelve or 
fifteen years old with him, who got loft while 
making the lirft portage in the prairies. Mr. de St. 
Cofme remained with five men and fpent two days 
looking for him without being able to find him, 
and during this time I and two others with Mr. 
de Montigny made a portage of two leagues. This 
boy made his way to Chicagou, where Brother 
Alexander was, thirteen days after. He was utterly 
exhaufted and was out of his head. 

Thefe people had their women and girls drefied 
like the Tonicas. Mr. de Montigny inclines to 
put me at the Tamarois with Mr. de St. Cofme. 
I (hould not be difpleafed. It was fuppofed at the 
Outraois that Mr. Diberville had come by fea to 
the mouth of the Miciflipi, but we have heard no 
tidings of him, except what I have related above. 
The Miamis are trying to pick a quarrel with us, 
but we do not know what will come of it. We 
are to ftart from Chicagou on Eafter Monday. The 
fineft country that we have feen is all from Chicagou 
to the Tamarois. It is nothing but prairies and 
clumps of wood as far as you can fee. I will 
mention alfo, that many Canadians marry among 
the Illinois. 

I fhall not come down within two years to know 
whether they will fettle this country. It is per- 
fectly charming. We did not perceive that it was 
M 



86 St, Cofmes Voyage. 

winter. The peach trees were in blolTom at the 
Tonicas in the month of January. They are fo 
plentiful in the village of the Taenfas that they cut 
them down. There are alfo pearls which are very 
nne. I believe that they are precious, yet they 
pierce them to firing them. I clofe, fearing to 
tire you, and fubfcribe myfelf, 

Your very humble and very obd^ ferv^ 

La Source. 5* 

52 The Rev. Dominic Thaumur was ordained there. Charlevoix 
de la Source had been a pupil of found him at Caholcia in 1721. 
Father Charlevoix at Quebec, and 




III. 

LE SUEUR'S VOYAGE 

UP THE MISSISSIPPI, 

IN 1699-1700. 




VOYAGE UP THE MISSISSIPPI 

IN 1699-I7OO, 



BY 



MR. LE SUEUR," 

AS GIVEN BV BENARD DE LA HARPE, FROM LE SUEUR's JOURNAL. 



^R. Le Sueur arrived with thirty workmen 
in the Renojnmee and Gironde, Dec'' 7, 
1699. He had acquired renown by his 
voyages in Canada ; he was fent on behalf of 
Mr. L'huilHer, Farmer-general, to form an 
eftablifhment at the fource of the Miffiffipi. The 
objedl of this enterprize was to work a mine of 




I Le Sueur was a Canadian (Bi- 
baud), and a kinfman of Iberville 
(Charlevoix, ii, 413); not his 
father as Neill, of little French and 
lefs courtefy, ignorandy fays (Hijl. 
of Minn e Jot a, 154, n). The firft 
allufion that I find to him is in 
1693, when he was a voyageur (Ra- 
tioned at Chegoimegon, and from 
his knowledge of the Dakotah em- 
ployed to maintain peace between 
the Chippeways and Dakotas (1^. 



T. Col. Doc, IX, 570). His fub 
fequent adventures are Sketched in 
the text. He returned to France 
with Iberville in 1702, and died 
fome years after while again on his 
way to Louifiana (La Harpe, 21). 
Neill, by a blunder though citing 
La Harpe, makes him die in Louifi- 
ana. The Le Sueur who figured 
in the Natchez war is therefore, in 
all probability, a different perfon. 



90 L,e Sueur's Voyage 

green earth^ that Mr. Le Sueur had difcovered. 
What gave rife to this enterprife as far back as the 
year 1695, was this. Mr. Le Sueur by order of 
the Count de Frontenac, Governor General of 
Canada, built a fort on an ifland in the Mifliffipi, 
more than 200 leagues above the Illinois, in order 
to effecft a peace between the Sauteurs^ nations who 
dwell on the fhores of a lake of five hundred leagues 
circumference,'^ one hundred leagues eaft of the river 
and the Scioux, ported on the Upper MiffifTipi. The 
fame year, according to his orders, he went down 
to Montreal in Canada with a Sauteur chief named 
Chingouabe and a Sciou named Ciofcate, who was 
thefiril: of his nation who hadfeen Canada; and as 
they hoped to derive from his country many articles 
of value in commerce, the Count de Frontenac, the 
Chevalier de la Calliere and M. de Champigny, 
received him quite well. Two days after their 
arrival they prefented to the Count de Frontenac 
in a public aifembly as many arrows as there were 
Scioux villages, and they told him that all thefe 
villages begged him to receive them among his 
children, as he had done the other nations whom 
they named in fucceffion, which was granted. 

2 A mine of green earth feems a 3 Ojibwas or Chippewas. The 

queer and not over-valuable difco- French called them Sauteux, and 

very, but thefe colored marls, blue, later Sauteurs, not meaning Leapers, 

green and yellow, owing their color as fome have faid who prefer guelT- 

to filicatc of iron, were, when free ing to refearch, but from their refi- 

from fand, highly efteemed and ufed dence at Saut Ste Marie. 
as paint by the Indians, and were 
confequently a good article of trade. 4 Lake Superior. 



up the MiJftJJippi. 91 

M. Le Sueur was to go up to the Mifliflipi in 
1696, with this Sciou chief, who had come down 
folely on a promife that he fhould be taken home 
again, but he fell fick during the winter and died 
at Montreal after thirty-three days' fuffering. As 
Mr. Le Sueur was difpenfed by this man's death 
from returning to that country, where he had 
difcovered mines of lead, copper, blue and green 
earth, he refolved to go to France, and to folicit at 
court permiffion to work them. This he obtained 
in 1697. He embarked at Rochelle in the latter 
part of June in that year to go to Canada. Off the 
banks of Newfoundland he was taken by an Eng- 
lifh fleet of fixteen vefTels and carried prifoner to 
Portfmouth ; but peace being declared, he returned 
to Paris to get a new commiffion, for he had thrown 
his old one overboard, for fear of giving the Eng- 
lifh any information as to his plan. The Court 
ordered a new commiffion to ilTue in 1698. He 
then went to Canada, where he met obftacles which 
compelled him to return to France.5 During all 
thefe contradidions a part of the people whom he 
had left in charge of the fort which he had built 
in 1695, hearing nothing of him, defcended to 
Montreal. 

We have feen above that he arrived in the colony 
[of Louifiana] in the month of December, 1699, 
with a party of thirty miners. On the loth of 
February, 1702, he arrived [? at Fort Biloxi^ ] with 

5 Frontenac prevented his going 6 Orders came on the i8th De- 
weft and the Court approved the cember, 1701, to evacuate Biloxi 
Governor's aftion in the matter, and fettle on the Mobile, and Bien- 



92 L,e Sueur s Voyage 

two thoufand quintals of blue and green earth, 
having come from the Scioux. The following is 
an extradt from the relation of his voyage : 

He could not reach the Tamarois till the month 
of June 1700, having made a conliderable diftance 
from the mouth of the river to that point. He left 
there July 12th, 1700, with a felucca and two ca- 
noes manned by nineteen perfons. 

On the 13th, having advanced fix leagues and a 
quarter, he halted at the mouth of the Miflburi 
river, and fix leagues above he left on the eaft of 
the river the river of the Illinois ; he there met 
three Canadian voyageurs who were coming to join 
his party : he received by them a letter from the 
Jefuit Father Mareft, dated July lo, 1700, at the 
Mifiion of the Immaculate Conception of the 
Blefled Virgin at the Illinois, to this effe(fl. 

" I have the honour to write you to inform you 
that the Sangieftas'' have been defeated by the 
Scioux and Ayavois.^ Thefe people have combined 
with the Quincapoux, and a part of the Mecon- 
tins,9 Foxes and Metefigamias,'° and are going to 
avenge themielves, not on the Scioux, of whom 
they are too much afraid, but on the Ayavois, or 

ville fet out with the garrifon on the 8 Written in fome other early 

6th January, 1702, leaving only accounts Ainoves ; they are the 

twenty foldiers under dc Bois Bril- lowas, who have had the good for- 

lant at Biloxi. It is probable how- tune to give their name to a State, 
ever that La Harpe means the Le- 
fueur arrived at Biloxi. 9 Kickapoos and Mafcoutins. 

7 Probably an error for Sauteux. 10 Mctchigameas. 



up the Mijffifftppi. 93 

" elfe on the Paoutees," or rather on the Ofages, 
" for thefe laft fufpeft nothing and the others are on 
" their guard ; as you may meet the allied nations, 
" you muft guard againft their enterprifes, and 
" prevent their getting in your boats, being traitors, 
" and unfaithful to their word ; I beg God to attend 
"you in all your defigns." 

Twenty-two leagues above the river of the Illi- 
nois he pafTed a fmall river which he named Riviere 
aux Boeufs.'- Nine leagues further he pafTed on 
the left a fmall river and met four Canadians going 
down the Miffiffipi to reach the Illinois. 

On the 30th of July, nine leagues above the laft 
river, he met feventeen Scioux in feven canoes, who 
were going to avenge the death of three Scioux, 
one of whom had been burnt and the others killed 
at the Tamarois, a fhort time before his arrival at 
that village ; as he had promifed the chief of the 
Illinois to appeafe the Scioux, who might be coming 
in war againft his nation, he made the chief of this 
party a prefent of fome goods to induce him to re- 
turn. He told him that the King of France did 
not wifh this river to be any more fullied with 
blood, and that he had lent him to tell them that 
if they obeyed his word, whatever was neceffary to 
them fhould hereafter be given to them. The 
chief replied that he accepted the prefent, that is to 
fay, that he would do what they told him. 

Ji Firft mentioned bv Marquette bably the Padoucas or Comanches, 
as the Pahoutct. They were pro- 12? Salt River. 

N 



94 Li^ Sueur s Voyage 

From the 30th of July to the 25 th of Auguft, Mr 
Le Sueur made 52! leagues to a little river which 
he called Riviere a la Mine;'3 it comes from the 
north to its mouth and turns from it to the N. E. 
Seven leagues on, to the right, there is a lead mine in 
a prairie, a league and a half inland ; this river, ex- 
cept the firfl three leagues, is navigable only when 
the water is high, that is to fay, from early fpring 
to the month of June. 

From the 25th to the 27th he made ten leagues, 
pafTed two fmall rivers, and made examination of a 
lead mine, of which he took a fupply. 

From the 27th to the 30th he made eleven 
leagues and a half and met five Canadians, one of 
whom was dangeroufly wounded in the head ; they 
were naked and had no arms except a wretched 
gun, with five or fix charges of powder and ball. 
They faid that they were defcending from the 
Scioux to go to the Tamarois, and that forty 
leagues above they had perceived on the Mifilflippi 
nine canoes, carrying ninety Indians, who had 
plundered and cruelly beaten them ; this party were 
going to war againfi: the Scioux. It was made up 
of four different nations, Outagamis, Saquis, Pou- 
tuatamis and Puans,''^ who inhabit a country eighty 
leagues eafi: of the river and of the point where 
Mr. Le Sueur then was. Thefe Canadians refolved 
to follow the detachment, which was thus com- 

13 ? Fever River. '4 Foxes, Sacs, Pottawattomics 

and Winnebagoes. 



up the Mijfijftppi. 95 

pofed of 28 men. That day he made four leagues 
and a half. 

On the I ft of September he pafTed the River of 
the Ouefconfins;'5 it comes from the N. E. to its 
mouth and turns to the Eaft. It is almoft every- 
where a league and a half v^ide. About forty-five 
leagues up this river on the right is a portage of 
more than a league in length. The half of this 
portage is a bog ; at the end of this portage there 
is a little river that falls into a bay called the Bay of 
the Puans,'^ inhabited by a great number of nations 
that carry their furs to Canada. It v^^as by the 
river of the Ouefconfins that Mr. Le Sueur came 
into the Miffiffippi for the firft time in 1683, to go 
to the country of the Scioux, v^^here he has at vari- 
ous times fpent feven years. The [Miffiffippi] river 
oppofite the mouth of this river is only about an 
eighth of a league wide. 

From the ift to the 5th of September our trav- 
eller advanced fourteen leagues: he pafled the 
Riviere aux Canots,'^ which comes from the north 
eaft, then that of the Quincapous,'^ fo called from 
the name of a nation, which formerly dwelt on its 
bank. 

From the 5th to the 9th, he made ten leagues 
and a half and pafled the Riviere Cachee'9 and that 

15 Wifconfm. »7 ? The Bad Axe. 

i6ThatisBayoftheWinnebagoes »8 ?The Raccoon. 

or Green Bay. 

i9?TheLaCrofl:e. 



96 Le Sueur's Voyage 

aux Ailes :^° the fame day he perceived canoes full 
of Indians defcending the river. The five Cana- 
dians recognized thofe who had plundered them ; 
fentinels were placed in the woods, for fear of a 
furprife from the land, and when they were within 
hailing diftance, the party called out to them, that 
if they came any nearer they would fire on them. 
They ranged themfelves along the ifland, within 
half gunfhot. Soon after four of the moft diftin- 
guifhed in the band advanced in a canoe and afked 
whether we had forgotten that they were our 
brethren, and why we had taken up arms when we 
perceived them. Mr. Le Sueur told them in reply 
that after what they had done to the five Frenchmen, 
who were prefent, he had reafon to diftruft them. 
Yet for the fecurity of his trade, being under the 
abfolute neceffity of being in peace with all the 
nations, he would not make reprifals for the rob- 
bery which they had committed ; he only added 
that the King their mafter and his, wifhed all his 
fubje(5ls to travel on that river without receiving 
any infult ; that therefore they fliould take care of 
what they were doing. The Indian who had been 
fpokefman feemed confounded and made no reply ; 
another merely faid that they had been attacked by 
the Scioux, who had forced them to abandon all 
their baggage, and that if he did not take pity on 
them by giving them a little powder, they could 
not reach their village. Confideration for [the 

20 Perhaps River aux Ailx, as a called from the wild onions growing 
cape of that name is mentioned, fo there. 



up the Mijftjftppi. 97 

fafety of] a miffionary who was to go up to the 
Scioux, and whom thefe Indians might meet, made 
him give them two pounds of powder. Mr. Le 
Sueur made the fame day three leagues, paffed a 
little river weft of the great river, then a large one on 
the eaft of the Miffiffipi, which is navigable at all 
times. The Indian nations that know it called it 
Red River.^' 

On the loth at day break they heard a ftag 
whiftle on the other fide of the river ; a Canadian 
crofled in a little Sciou canoe that he had found; 
he foon after returned with the body of the animal, 
which it is eafy to kill in the rutting feafon, that is 
from the beginning of September to the end of 
Auguft. During that time the hunters make a 
little whiftle of the iirft bit of wood or cane, and 
when they hear a ftag whiftle, they anfwer ; the 
animal fuppofing it to be another ftag that whiftles, 
comes to them and they kill it without any diffi- 
culty. 

From the loth to the 14th Mr. Le Sueur made 
feventeen leagues and a half, pafted Riviere des 
Raifins" and that of the Paquilenettes :^3 the fame 
day he left on the eaft of the river, a large and 
beautiful river, which comes a great diftance from 
the north, and called Bon Secours,^^ from the great 

II Black River. ^4 Neill fuppofes this to be the 

^^ .„ , . ,. , „, .^ Chippeway, but Shumard thinks the 

aa Neill thinks this the W^.. Ozu. chippeway river to be the next one 

13 The Buffalo River, according mentioned. 
to Neill. 



98 L,e Sueur s Voyage 

numbers of Buffalo, ftags, bears and deer found 
there ; three leagues up this river there is a lead 
mine, and feven leagues higher on the fame fide, 
you meet another river of great length, in the 
neighbourhood of which there is a copper mine 
from which he took a mafs of fixty pounds in his 
previous voyages. To render it profitable a peace 
would have to be made between the Scioux and 
the Oucagamis, becaufe the latter, who live on the 
lands eaft of the MifTiffippi, pafs by this road con- 
flantly when going out to war againft the Scioux. 
In thefe quarters, a league and a half from the 
northweft fide, begins a lake fix leagues long, and 
more than one broad. It is called Lake Pepin. 
It is fkirted on the weft by a chain of mountains; 
on the other fide on the eaft you fee a prairie, and 
on the northweft of the lake a fecond prairie two 
leagues long and wide ; near it is a chain of moun- 
tains, which is at leaft two hundred feet high, 
and is more than half a league long. Here are 
found many caverns^? to which the bears retreat 
in winter : moft of thefe caves are over forty feet 
deep, and about three or four feet high. , Some 
have a very narrow entrance, and all contain falt- 
petre. It would be dangerous to enter them in 
fummer, becaufe they are full of rattlefnakes, the 
bite of which is very dangerous. Le Sueur faw 
fome of thefe fnakes which were fix feet long ; but 
they do not generally exceed four : they have teeth 

25 Nicolct has dcfcnbed thefe caves, which Carver alfo mentioned. 



up the Mijftjftppi. 99 

like thofe of a pike, and the gums full of little 
bladders which contain their venom. The Scioux 
fay that they take it every morning and reje(fl it at 
night ; they have on the tail a kind of fcale which 
makes a noife ; this is what is called their rattle. 
Le Sueur made that day feven leagues and a half, 
and pafled another river named Hiambouxeate — 
Onataba, which means River of the flat rocks-^^ 

On the 15th he croiTed a fmall river and per- 
ceived in the neighborhood feveral canoes full of 
Indians coming down the river. He at firft took 
them for Scioux, becaufe he could not diftinguifh 
whether the canoes were large or fmall. He made 
his men get their arms ready ; he foon after heard 
the Indians giving the yells they ufually give when 
they rufh on their enemies. He replied in the fame 
manner; and after porting all his men behind trees, 
he forbid them to fire till he gave the word. He 
remained on the water's edge to fee what ftep they 
would take, and perceiving that they put two men 
afhore to obferve from an eminence on the other 
fide of the river the number of his people and his 
forces, he made his party march in and out of the 
wood continually, fo that they fhould take them to 
be more numerous. This fucceeded, for as foon as 
the two Indians came down the hill, the chiefs of 
the party came forward bearing the calumet, which 
is a fignal of peace among the Indians. They 
faid that having never feen the French failing on 

i6 Thelnyan bofndata or Cannon river, in the judgment of Mr. NeilJ. 

i.stc. 



loo L,e Sueur s Voyage 

the MiiTifTippi in boats like a felucca, they had 
miftaken them for Englifh and had accordingly 
given the war cry and ranged themfelves on the 
other fide of the river ; but feeing their miftake by 
our flag, they had come without fear to inform them 
that one of their people who was crazy had accident- 
ally killed a Frenchman with a ball from a gun ; that 
they were going to bring his comrade, who would 
tell in what way the accident happened. They 
made this Frenchman, who was a Canadian named 
Denis, come : he plated that his comrade had been 
accidentally killed ; his name was Laplace ; he was 
a foldier who deferted from Canada and had fled to 
this country. Mr. Le Sueur replied to thefe In- 
dians, that Onontio (a name they give to all the 
governors of Canada) being their father and his, 
they fhould not feek their juftification anywhere 
but before him ; that he advifed them to go and fee 
him as foon as poffible to beg him to wafh the blood 
of that Frenchman from their face. This party 
was compofed of 47 men of difl*erent nations, who 
live far to the eaft of the Mifliffippi, about the 44th 
degree of latitude. Mr. Le Sueur knew the chiefs 
particularly ; he told them that the king of whom 
they had fo often heard in Canada, had fent to fettle 
the mouth of the river, and that he wifhed the 
nations dwelling on it, as well as thofe which are 
under his protection, to live generally in peace. He 
made that day three leagues and three quarters. 

On the 1 6th he left on the eafl of the Miffiflipi 
a great river called St. Croix, becaufe a Frenchman 



up the Mijftjfippi. loi 

of that name was wrecked at its mouth. It comes 
from the N. N. W. ; four leagues^ higher up, af- 
cen'ding, you come to a fmall lake, at the entrance 
of which there is a very large mafs of copper ; it is 
on the water's edge, in a little bluff of fandy earth, 
weft of this lake. 

From the i6th to the 19th he advanced thirteen 
leagues and three quarters. After having made 
from the Tamarois two hundred and feven leagues 
and a half, he left the navigation of the Miffiffippi 
at this point to enter St. Peter's River,^? on the 
weft of the Miffiffippi, on which he made till the 
I ft of October forty four leagues and a quarter. 
After which he entered Blue River,28 fo called by 
reafon of the mines of blue earth found at its mouth. 
He made his fettlement at 44 deg. 13 m. N. 

At this fpot he met nine Scioux, who told him 
that this river was the country of the Scioux of the 
Weft, of the Ayavois and the Otodlatas^g a little 
further ; that it was not their cuftom to hunt on the 
grounds of others without being invited by thole to 
whom they belonged ; that when they fhould wifh 
to come to the fort to get fupplies, they would be 

27 Many writers have of late at- Earth River. See an account of 
tempted to make out that this river this earth in Owen's Geological 
was called after Le Gardeur de Re- Survey of Wifconfm, Iowa and 
pentigny, who bore the name of Minnefota, p. 486. 

Mr. de St Pierre Were it fo it ,_^ j^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^3 probably, 

would be Itrange that Lefueur does ^^^ Qtontantas are on Marquette's 

not mention the faft, as the family ^^^ ^^^ evidently the Anthou- 

was an important one m Canada. ^^^^^^ ^^^^-^^ ^^^^^^ Authontantas) 

28 Now called Mankato or Blue of Membre. 

o 



I02 L,e Sueur s Voyage 

expofed to be cut off by their enemies coming up 
or going thefe rivers, which are narrow ; and that 
if he wiflied to take pity on them, he muft fettle 
on the MiflifTippi in the neighborhood of the mouth 
of St. Peter's river, where the Ayavois, the Otoc- 
tatas, and the Scioux could come as well as they. 
Having made their fpeech, they began, according 
to their cuftom, to weep over Mr. Le Sueur's head, 
faying, Oueachijfou ouaepanimanabo ; which means, 
Take pity on us. 

Mr. Le Sueur had forefeen that his eftablifliment 
on the Blue river would not be relifhed by the 
Scioux of the Eaft, who are, fo to fpeak, the mafters 
of the other Scioux and of the nations juft named, 
becaufe they are firft with whom we traded, which 
has given them a good fupply of guns. As he had 
not undertaken the enterprife in the fole view of 
the beaver trade, but to learn thoroughly the quality 
of the different mines which he had formerly dis- 
covered, he told them that he was forry he had not 
known their ideas fooner; that it was clearly juft, 
as he had come expreflly for them, for him to fettle 
on their land ; but the feafon was too far fpent to 
retrace his fteps. He then made them a prefent of 
powder, balls, knives, and a fathom of tobacco, to 
invite to come as foon as poffible to the fort that he 
was going to ercd: ; that there, when they were all 
affembled, he would tell them the intentions of the 
king, their mafter and his. 

The Scioux of the Weft have, according to the 
reports of thofe of the Eaft, more than a thoufand 



up the Mijfijfippi, 103 

cabins. They do not ufe canoes, cultivate the 
earth, or gather wild oats ; they generally keep to 
the prairies between the Upper MiffifTippi and the 
River of the MilTouris, and live lolely by hunting. 

All the Scioux in general fay that they have three 
fouls, and that after death, that which has done good 
goes to the warm countries, that which has done 
evil to the cold countries, and the other keeps the 
body. Polygamy is in ufe among them ; they are 
very jealous, and fometimes fight duels for their 
women. They handle the bow very expertly, 
and were feveral times ktn to (hoot ducks on the 
wing. They make their cabins of feveral buffalo 
fkins, laced and fewed together ; they carry them 
every where with them : in each cabin there are 
ordinarily two or three men with their families. 
They are all great fmokers, but their mode of 
fmoking differs from that of the other Indians ; 
there are fome Scioux who fwallow all the tobacco 
fmoke, and others who after having fwallowed and 
kept it fome time in the ftomach, ejedt it through 
the nofe. 

On the 3d of the fame month he received at 
the fort feveral Scioux, among whom was Ouacanta- 
pai,3o chief of the village. Soon after two Canadians 
who had gone hunting arrived ; they had been 
robbed by the Scioux of the Eaft, who had taken 
away their guns in revenge for Mr. Le Sueur's 
fettling on Blue river. On the 14th the fort was 

30 The root is here evidently facred. 
Wakonda, God, fpirit, myfterious, 



104- L^ Sueur's Voyage 

finifhed; the name of Fort L'huiller was con- 
ferred upon it. 

On the 22d two Canadians were fent out to invite 
the Ayavois and the Otodatas to come and make a 
village near the fort, becaufe thefe Indians are la- 
borious and accuftomed to cultivate the ground, 
and he hoped to obtain provifions from them and 
make them work the mines. 

On the 24th arrived fix Oujalefpoitous Scioux ; 
they wifhed to enter the fort, but they were pre- 
vented and told that men who had killed French- 
men could not be received ; this is the term em- 
ployed when they have offered any infult. The 
next day they came to Mr. Le Sueur's cabin to beg 
him to take pity on them. They wifhed according 
to their cuftom to weep over his head and make 
him a prefent of fome packages of beaver, which 
he refufed ; he faid that he was aftonifhed that men 
who had robbed him fhould have the temerity to 
come to him ; to which they replied that they had 
indeed heard that the French had been plundered, 
but that none from their village had been prefent 
at this wicked adt. Mr. Le Sueur told them that 
he knew that it was the Mendeouacantous who had 
killed him and not the Oujalefpoitous ; " but you 
" are Scioux" he continued, " they were Scioux who 
" robbed me, and if I followed your manner of acting 
" I would tomahawk you ; for is it not true that when 
" any ftrangers (fo they call the Indians who are not 
" Scioux) have done any wrong to a Mendeouacan- 
" tou, Oujalefpoitou or other Sciou, all the villages 



up the Mijfiftppi. 105 

*' avenge it on the firft they meet." As there was 
nothing to be faid in reply to what he told them, 
they had recourfe to tears and repeated according 
to cuflom, Ouaechiffou oiiaepariimanabo ! Mr. Le 
Sueur told them to flop their crying ; he added that 
the French were good-hearted, and that he had 
come into the country only to take pity on them ; 
at the fame time he made them a prefent, telling 
them : " Carry back your beaver, and tell all the 
" Scioux that they (hall have no more powder or 
" ball from me, and that they (hall no more fmoke 
" my calumet (that is to fay, we fhall be good 
" friends no longer) till they make reparation for 
" the plunder of the French." 

The fame day the two Canadians who had been 
fent out the 2 2d arrived without having fucceeded 
in finding the road leading to the Ayavois and 
Oto6lata. On the 26th Mr. Le Sueur proceeded 
to the mine, with three canoes which he loaded 
with blue and green earth. It is drawn from 
mountains near which are the very abundant copper 
mines, of which Mr. L'Huillier, one of the king's 
farmers general, made an afiay at Paris, in 1696. 
Stones alfo are found there which it would be curi- 
ous to fee employed. 

On the 9th of November eight Mantantous Sci- 
oux prefented themfelves at the tort, having been 
fent by the chiefs of their villages to fay that the 
Mendeouacantous were ftill at their lake on the lands 
eaft of the MilTiffipi, and that they could not come 
for a long time; that all the reft ought not to bear the 



io6 Le Sueur's Voyage 

penalty of one fingle village that had not had fenfe ; 
that if he would tell them in what way he wifhed 
to have fatirfa(flion, they would come and make it. 
Mr. Le Sueur told them that he was glad that they 
had fenfe, and that it was for them to fee what 
they fliould do. 

On the 15th they faw two Mantantous Scioux 
arrive ; thefe Indians had been fent exprefs to an- 
nounce that all the Scioux of the Eaft and a part of 
thofe of the Wefi: had joined together to come to 
the French, becaufe they had learned that the 
Chriftinaux and the AfTinipoils were making war 
on them. Thefe two nations live above the fort on 
the eaft, more than eighty leagues up the Miffiflipi. 

The AfTinipoils fpeak Scioux, and are really of 
that nation ; and it is only within a few years that 
they have been at enmity with that people. The 
origin of that war was this. The Chriftinaux hav- 
ing obtained the ufe of firearms before the Scioux 
by means of the Englifh of Hudfon's bay, came 
conftantly in war againll the AfTinipoils, who were 
their nearefl neighbors; the latter finding them- 
felves weak afked peace, and to render it more firm, 
allied themfelves to the Chriflinaux, taking their 
women to wife. The other Scioux, who had not 
entered this alliance, and who of all time had been 
at war with them, continued it, fo that one day, 
finding fome Chriftinaux among the AfTinipoils, 
they tomahawked them. It was the Chriftinaux 
who fupplied the Affinipoils with arms and goods. 

On the 1 6th the two Scioux returned to their 



up the Mijffijfippi. 107 

village, and it was afcertained that the Ayavois and 
the Otodtatas had gone to ftation themfelves on the 
fide of the river of MiiTouri, in the neighborhood 
of the Maha, a nation dwelling in thofe quarters. 

On the 26th the Mantantous and Oujalefpoitous 

arrived at the fort. After pitching their cabin in 

the wood, Ouacantapai came to beg Mr. Le Sueur 

to come to him. He there found fixteen men with 

feveral women and children, who had their faces 

daubed with black. In the middle of this cabin 

were feveral buffalo fkins that ferved as a carpet. 

They made figns to him to fit down, and at the 

fame time all thefe perfons began to weep for half 

a quarter of an hour ; then the chief offered him 

wild rice to eat, and according to their cufl:om put 

the firft three fpoonfuls in his mouth, after which 

he told him that all thofe whom he faw prefent were 

like himfelf the relatives of Tiofcate (this was the name 

of the Sciou whom Mr. Le Sueur took to Canada in 

1695, and who died there in 1696). At this name 

of Tiofcate they began to weep again, and to wipe 

their tears on Mr. Le Sueur's head and (houlders ; 

after which Ouacantapai, refuming his difcourfe, 

told him that Tiofcate begged him to forget the 

infult offered to the French by the Mendeouacan- 

tous, and to have pity on his brethren, by giving 

them powder and ball to defend themfelves againft 

their enemies and to give life to his wives and 

children who were wafting with hunger in the 

midft of a country full of all kinds of beafts, having 

nothing to kill them with. ** Behold !" added this 



io8 L,e Sueur's Voyage 

chief, pointing to the dead chief's wives and child- 
ren, " Behold thy children, thy brethren, thy fifters; 
" it is for thee to fee whether thou wifheft them 
" to live or die ; they will live if thou giveft them 
" powder and ball, on the contrary they will die if 
" thou refufe it." All thefe reafons were not needed 
to induce Mr. Le Sueur to yield to their requeft ; 
but as the Scioux never anfwer on the fpot, efpe- 
cially in important matters, and as he had to fpeak 
to them about his eftablifhment, he left the cabin 
without faying anything, the chief and all thofe 
who were within followed him to the gate of the 
fort, and after he went in they made the circuit of 
the fort three times, weeping and crying at the top 
of their voices, Athe-ouanan, which means. My 
father, take pity on us. 

The next day he alTembled in the fort the moft 
eminent of both villages, and as it is impofTible to 
reduce the Scioux to prevent their going to war, 
except by inducing them to cultivate the ground, 
he told them that if they wifhed to render them- 
felves worthy of the king's protection, they muft 
abandon their errant life and come and form a villao^e 
around his fettlement, where they would be Ihel- 
tered from the attacks of their enemies ; that to 
facilitate the means of leading a happy life there, 
and fave them from the pangs of hunger, he would 
give them all the corn neceffary to plant a good 
deal of ground ; that the king, their chief and his, 
when fending him had forbidden him to trade in 
beaver fkins, knowing that this hunt obliged them 



up the Mijfijftppi. 109 

to fcatter, and expofed them to be killed by their 
enemies ; that in confequence he had come to fettle 
on Blue river, the neighborhood of which as they 
had feveral times affured him was full of all kinds of 
beafts, for the fkins of which they would fupply all 
their wants ; that they Ihould refled that they could 
not do without the goods of the French, and that 
the only means not to be deprived of them was not 
to make war on nations allied to us; and as it is 
the Indian cuftom to accompany their words with 
a prefent proportioned to the affair treated of, he 
o-ave them fifty pounds of powder, and as many of 
balls, fix guns, ten hatchets, twelve fathoms of to- 
bacco, and a fteel calumet. 

On the I ft of December the Mantantons invited 
Mr. Le Sueur to a great banquet ; four of their 
cabins had been thrown into one, in which there 
were a hundred men feated around, each with his 
platter before him. After the repaft Oucantapai 
their chief made them all fmoke fucceflively the 
ftcel calumet which had been prefented to them ; 
then he made a prefent to Mr. Le Sueur of a flave 
and a fack of wild rice, and pointing to his people 
faid : *' Behold the remnants of that great village 
"which thou didft formerly behold fo numerous; 
" all the others have been flain in war, and the few 
" men that thou feeft in this cabin accept the pre- 
" fent that thou makeft them, and are refolved to 
" obey that great chief of all the nations of whom 
" thou haft fpoken to us ; thou muft therefore no 
'" longer regard us as Scioux, but as Frenchmen, 

P 



1 1 o L/e Sueur's Voyage 

•* and inftead of faying that the Scioux are wretches 
" who have no fenfe, and fit only to plunder and 
** rob the French, thou wilt fay : My brothers are 
*' unhappy men who have no fenfe ; we muft try 
" and get them fome ; they rob us, but to prevent 
" them I will take care that they do not lack iron, 
** that is to fay all kinds of goods. If thou doft this 
" I aiTure thee that in a {hort time the Mantantons 
" will become French, and will no longer have the 
" vices with which thou reproacheft them." Hav- 
ing finifhed this harangue he covered his head with 
his robe, the others imitated him ; they wept for 
their comrades flain in war, and chanted a farewell 
to their country in fo mournfull a tone that one 
could fcarcely help fharing their grief Then Oua- 
cantapai made them fmoke again, and diftributed 
among them the prefents that had been given to 
them, and faid that he was going to the Mende- 
ouacantons to inform them of the refolution and to 
invite them to do the fame. 

On the 1 2th three Mendeouacanton chiefs and a 
number of Indians o^ the fame village arrived at the 
fort, and the next day made a kind of fatiffad:ion 
for the plunder they had committed on the French. 
They brought 400 pounds of beaver fkins, and pro- 
mifed that next fummer, after building canoes, and 
gathering in their harveft of wild rice, they would 
come to fettle near the French. The fame day 
they returned to their village call: of the Miffiflipi. 



up the Mijfijfippi 



1 1 1 



Names of the Scioux Nations of the Eajiern Party 
and their Signification. 

The MantantonSy which means village of the great 
lake which empties into a little one. 

The Mendeouacanto72Sy village of the fpirit lake. 

The ^liopetons, village of a lake in the river. 

The Pfioumanitons, village of the feekers of wild rice. 

The Ouadebatonsy village of the river. 

The OuaetemantonSy village of the people who are 
on the point of a lake. 

The Songafquitons, (SiiTetoans) village of the fort. 

Scioux of the Wefiern Party of whom we have 
any Knowledge. 

The Touchouae/intons, which means village of the 

perch. 
The PfinchatonSy village of the red wild rice. 
The OujatefpouetonSy village difperfed in feveral little 

bands 
The P ftnont anhinhintons y village of the great wild 

rice. 
The TintangaonghiatonSy (Titonwans) village ot the 

great cabin. 
The Ouaepetonsy (Warpetwans) village of the leaf. 
The Oughetgeodatonsy village of the dung. 
The Ouapeof2tetonsy village of thofe who fhoot in a 

great pine. 
The Hinhanetonsy (Ihanktonwan) village of the red 

flone quarry. 



GRAVIER'S VOYAGE 

DOWN AND UP THE MISSISSIPPI, 

1700. 



JOURNAL OF THE VOYAGE 

OF 

FATHER GRAVIER • 

Of the Society of Jefus, in 1700, from the 
Country of the Ilinois to the Mouth of the 
Miffiffipi, addrefled to Father de Lamber- 
ville, and fent from the Fort of the Mif- 
fiffipi, 1 7 leagues from its Mouth in the 
Gulf or Sea of Mexico, Feb. 16, 1701. 



EVEREND Father; 

Pax Chrijii. 

On my return from Michili- 
^'^^ mackinac I received your letter which you did 
me the honor to write by the Miffiflipy, addrefled 
to Father Aveneau, who fent it to me at Chika- 




* Father James Gravier of the 
Society of Jefus, the writer of this 
narrative, was one of the earlieft 
Illinois miffionaries, and the firll: 



who fiifficiently maflered the lan- 
guage to compile a grammar. His 
philological labors were highly ef- 
teemed, but have apparently per- 



1 1 6 Down a7td Up the Mijftjftppi. 

goua,2 whence I fet out on the 8th of September, 
170c, to come here. I arrived too late at the Illi- 
nois du Detroit, 3 of whom Father Mareft has 
charge, to prevent the tranfmigration of the village 
of the KafkaiT^-ias, which was too precipitately made 
on vague news of the eft ablifliment on the MilTiiTipi. 
I do not believe that the Kaikal'kias would thus have 
feparated from the Peoiiaroiia and other Illinois du 
Detroit, had I arrived fooner. At all events I came 
foon enough to unite minds a little, and to prevent 
the infult which the Peoiiaroiia and the MoUin- 
goiiena were bent on offering to the Kafkafkias and 
French as they embarked. I fpoke to all the chiefs 
in full council, and as they continue to preferve 
fome refped: and good will for me, we feparated 



ifhed. He is ftated to have been a 
native of Langucdoc, but the work 
that aflcrts it is of too little credit 
to make it certain. He arrived in 
Canada apparently after 1679, was 
at Sillery in 1684, but appears in 
the Illinois miflion from 1687 to 
1706. A Relation of his miffion 
of the Immaculate Conception in 
1693 was publiflicd at New York 
in 1857, and Dillon, author of the 
Hiftory of Indiana, had his Regifter 
from 1695 to 1699. He def:ended 
the MifTiffippi in 1 700, but returned 
to his miffion, and fome years after 
was wounded in the body and in 
the arm by fome of the Peorias, at 
the inftigation of the medicine men. 
He defcendcd to Mobile to get his 
wounds treated, and Benard dc la 
Harpe notes his arrival there Janu- 



ary 16, 1706, adding that he was 
not yet out of danger. Mareft fays 
that he died foon after. 

- He evidently ftarts from the 
Miami miffion, mentioned in St. 
Cofme's journal. Claude Aveneau 
was at Detroit in 1687, and by his 
gentlenefs and patience acquired a 
great influence over the Miamis, 
who were ever at peace with the 
French till the mcddlefome La Motte 
Cadillac forced him to leave the 
miffion. His return in 1707 was 
the fignal of peace. 

3 This defignation does not ap- 
pear elfewhere, and I cannot dif- 
cover \\\\3.i Jlrait is referred to. It 
evidently includes the Peorias. 



Down and Up the Mijjijjtppi, 117 

very peaceably. But I augur no good from this 
reparation, which I have always hindered, feeing 
but too clearly the evil refults. God grant that the 
road from Chikagoiia to the Strait (au Detroit) be 
not clofed, and the whole Illinois miffion fuffer 
greatly. I avow to you. Rev. Father, that it rends 
my heart to fee my old flock thus divided and dif- 
perfed, and I fliall never fee it, after leaving it, 
without having fome new caule of afflidiion. The 
Peoiiaroiia, whom I left without a miffionary (lince 
Father Mareft has followed the Kafkafkias) have 
promifed me that they would preferve the Church, 
and that they would await my return from the 
Miffiffipi, where I told them that I went only to 
affure myfelf of the truth of all that was faid about 
it. This gave them great pleafure : they promifed 
me that they would leave their village only when 
I (hould dired: them, or the great chief down the 
river wifhed them to tranfport it. I much doubt 
whether they will keep their word. 

After having marched four days with the Kaf- 
kafkias,4 I went ahead with Father Mareft, whom 
I left fick at the Tamarouha, where Father Pinet 
difcharges peaceably all the fundions of miffionary, 
and Mr. Bergier,5 who gets along very well with 

4 Father Marquette and Allouez Gravier's influence induced a halt, 

found the Kafkafkias on the upper which proved a lafling one. 
waters of the Illinois. This journal 

fhows when and why they removed 5 Rev. John Bergier, a prieft of 

to the prefent Kafkafkia. It. was in the Seminary of Quebec, arrived in 

the view of joining the French in Canada, it is faid, in 1683. He 

Louifiana, that they fet out, but was not of Mr. Montigny's party. 



1 1 8 Father Graviers Voyage 

us, has care only of the French, and this is a good 
relief for Father Pinet. 

I ftarted from the Tamarouha the 9th Odober, 
to come here at the lower part of the MiffiiTipi, to 
affift Father du Ru.^ I was accompanied by five 
canoes of Frenchmen. For my part 1 had in my 
canoe only Brother Guibert and a Frenchman fick 
with the tertian fever. At two leagues from the 
village 1 found the Tamarouha, who have taken up 
their winter quarters in a beautiful bay, where they 
await the Metchigamia, who are to come over fixty 
leagues to winter, and form only one village with 
them. One of our miffionaries is to vifit them 
every fecond day all the winter long, and do as 
much for the Kaoiikia, who have taken their winter 
quarters four leagues above the village. 

We made only four leagues the firfl: day, in con- 
lequence of one of our canoes being opened by a 
fnag [chicot^ hidden in the water, which ftopped 
us to repair it. 

but foon followed, as we here find 6 Father du Ru came out as chap- 

him at Cahokia (Tamarois) in Sep- lain to Iberville, and planted a crofs 

tember, 1700. He probably fuc- at the mouth of the MifTiHippi, the 

ceeded St. Cofme at the Tamarois. infcription on which is given at the 

On Pinet's death, he became Indian end of this journal. He founded 

miFionary alfo, and flruggled man- the Oumas miffion, erefting a chapel 

fully with ihe medicine men, but oppofite the temple. He was foon 

his health failed, and after being fucceeded by Father de Lymoges, 

vifited in his ficknefs by Father and remained in the fettlement, but 

Marefl;, died, it is faid, in 17 10. became involved in difputes with 

On a vifit to Mobile in 1707 he Mr. Sauvolle, the commander. His 

firfl announced the aflafTmation of companion, Father Donge, fell a 

his predecefTor, the Rev. Mr. St. vidlim to the climate, and he re- 

Cofme. turned to Europe 



Down and Up the Mijftjftppi. 1 1 9 

On the loth day, after a league's progrefs, we 
difcovered the river Miaramigoua,7 where the very 
rich lead mine is, twelve or thirteen leagues from 
its mouth. This mine yields three-fourths. 

On the iith we killed a buffalo or wild-ox, 
which coft us ten or twelve gun-fhots, lo well did 
he defend his life. The fever which feized my 
pilot obliged us to land at one in the afternoon, and 
in five days, although the current was ftrong, we 
made only thirty-five leagues, becaule the fick 
obliged us to land early, and becaufe much time is 
loft firing on the buffaloes that line the river, and 
who are almoft always left to be devoured by the. 
wolves. 

On the 14th we doubled Cape St. Croix. It is 
a fmall rock which makes a little ifland on the north 
of the MifTilTipi, on which Mr. de Montigny planted 
a crofs.8 We took two bears there. 

On the 15th, continuation of fair weather. We 
faw that day over fifty bears, and of all that we 
killed, we took only four to have the oil. Thofe 
that came down along the MiflifTipi were lean, and 
thofe that came from the dired:ion of the river 
Ouabachci were fat. They were conftantly going 
from fouth to north. It muft be better for them 
there. 

You meet a number of iflands and fhoals in the 
courfe of the MifTifTipi river, from the Tamarouha 

7 Marameg. Charlevoix, in his of the early mining attempts made 
Hiji. de la Nouvelle France, vol. here. 
Ill, p. 438, gives an amufmg account 8 See p. 68. 



120 Father Gravier's Voyage 

to the river Ouabachi ; this river keeps q^uite clofely 
its diredlion of north to fouth ; but three or four 
leagues from Ouabachi it begins to turn to the 
N. N. W., and does nothing but wind. We could 
not judge by the diftance we made on the 15th 
what diredion it takes. Father Marquette (who 
firft difcovered it nearly thirty years ago) puts it in 
his journal three leagues from Ouabachi, 36 deg. 
47 min. We cabined in fight of this river, which 
comes from the fouth and empties into the Miffif- 
fippi. At its mouth it makes a great bafin two 
arpents from its difcharge. It is called by the Illi- 
nois and by the Oumiamis the river of the Akanfea, 
becaufe the Akanfea formerly dwelt on it.9 Three 
branches are alTigned to it, one that comes from the 
northweft, pafTing behind the country of the Ou- 
miamis, called the River St. Jofeph, which the 
Indians call properly Ouabachci.'^ The fecond 
comes from the Iroquois, and it is that called by 
them Ohio ; and the third from the S. S. W., on 
which are the Chaoiianoiia,!' and all three uniting 
to empty into the Miffiffipi, it is commonly called 

9 This is an important faft not to make them the mound builders 

elfewhere alluded to, fhowing that who fled down the MiffifTippi, like 

this branch of the Dakoias muft the fabulous Alhgewi of the fchool 

have penetrated the moft early of books of other days, 
any, before they were driven fouth- 

erly and weft of the MilTiffippi. 'o Here Gravier diftinftly ftates 

This fadl will probably bafe new the Waba{h to be the Indian name 

theories as to the Ohio mound of the river that now bears the name, 
builders, pofTibly the people who ' i The Shawnees. This branch 

were attacked by, but repulfed the is the Tcnneftee. 
Arkanfas, unless it is more pleafmg 



Down and Up the Mijftjfippi. 



121 



Ouabachi ; but the Illinois and the other Indians 
call it the River of the Akanlea. Its water is 
clear, and it does not feem very rapid. It falls 
gently into the Miffiffipi, which lofes a little of the 
muddy color given it by the River of the MiiTouris. 
I found an excellent remedy to cure our French 
of their fevers. I promifed God jointly with Peter 
de Bonne, who had a violent tertian fever for a 
confiderable time, to recite for nine days fome pray- 
ers in honor of Father Francis Regis, '^ whofe relics 
I have, which I applied to him in the height of his 
fever, when it ceafed fuddenly, and he had no more 
of it after that time. After my novena I refumed 
my reliquary, which I hung around the neck of 
Louis de Hemme of Riviere du Loup, with whom 
I began a fecond novena, and from the firft day the 
fever left him ; and having taken off my reliquary 
the fourth or fifth day of the novena to hang it on 
the neck of one by name Auguftine La Pointe of 
Cote St. Michel in Canada, who had ahxady had 
two or three attacks of fever, it took du Hemme 
again, who feeing himfelf cured, had faid that I 
was not afraid of being fick with that reliquary 
always hung around his neck, and as foon as I took 

li St. John Francis Regis was a Puy in the Velay, in 1640, in the 

Jefuit miffionary in France, who, midft of his labors. His virtues 

failing to obtain permifTion to de- and favors led to his canonization 

vote himfelf to the Indians in Amer- in 1737. The Indian town of St. 

ica, fpent his life in giving religious Regis, in northern New York, com- 

inftruftion to the poor country peo- memorates the fervices of this de- 

ple, who were nauch negleded in voted evangelift of the poor, 
fome parts of France. He died at 



122 Father Gravier^s Voyage 

it off, the fever came back and did not leave him 
till after the novena, and La Pointe was cured per- 
fectly from the firft day that I hung my reliquary 
around his neck, which I did not remove till the 
novena was completed. And at this moment Pierre 
Chabot of Ifle Orleans, who had the fever for more 
than fix months, having hung it on his neck, the 
third day of the novena that ftubborn fever dimin- 
ifhed and he was entirely rid of it at the end of the 
novena. A fmall piece of Father Regis's hat, which 
one of our domeftics gave me is the moft infallible 
remedy that I can have to cure all kinds of fevers. 

Now to refume my route. We ftarted on the 
1 6th of 0(flober from the mouth of the Oiiabachi, 
with very favorable weather, and we found the 
MifTiffipi lefs rapid than above the Oiiabachi. As 
we had a great quantity of meat, we dried in hafte 
a part of the beft, and the great heat obliged us to 
throw away the reft. We faw fo great a quantity 
of wild pigeons, that the air was darkened and quite 
covered by them. We ran all day S. S. W., and 
five leagues below Ouabachi on the fouth fide, we 
found great bluffs of fand, where there is faid to be 
an iron mine. The pretended plates of iron at- 
tached to pebbles, are anything but what was fup- 
pofed and what I was told. They are merely veins 
of hard and almoft petrified earth, which have in- 
deed the color of iron, but which are not heavy, 
and break eafily. I took a piece to (how that if 
there is an iron mine, it muft not be judged by that 
earth. 



Down and Up the Mijftjftppi, 123 

A little lower down, we began to difcover canes 
on the hillocks. They are covered with evergreen 
leaves from the bottom to the point, which ter- 
minates in a little tuft of leaves. They are not 
over feven or eight feet high on the fides of the 
hills, but are twenty, thirty, and forty feet high in 
the woods, efpecially from the Akanfea. 

On the I 8th, in three hours time, we boxed the 
compafs, and after running a little while E. S. E., we 
went half round it again in a bay of more than two 
leagues, which can be cut acrofs at high water. 

On the 19th we overtook the two canoes that 
had left us, and about two o'clock in the afternoon 
we found on the north fide, three or four leagues 
further down, beyond a little prairie, an echo which 
repeats five words diftindlly, and begins to repeat 
what you fay only when you finifh pronouncing the 
lafl word. 

On the 20th great heat; we flept in fight of 
great bluffs of ftone. called Fort Prud'homme, be- 
caufe Mr. de la Salle, going on his difcovery, en- 
trenched himfelf here with his party, fearing that 
Prud'homme, who had got loft in the woods, had 
been killed by the Indians, and that he himfelf 
would be attacked. Laft year a quantity of bears 
were killed at this place. The rain detained us the 
22d and 23d on a great land bank, whence we 
gained an ifland where there was petrified wood. I 
do not know whether it is a fpring or a ffream of 
water that has this power, as there is in Auvergne, 
on the confines of Bourbonnois, a mineral fountain 



124- Father Graviers Voyage 

that petrifies the leaves of the trees that fall in ; or 
whether it is the fun which blackens and hardens 
Imall bits of rotten wood left on the fand after the 
high waters. Be that as it may, I faw large and 
fmall ; it cannot be doubted, for there are fome that 
are not yet petrified, and which are part wood and 
part black ftone which breaks eafily. A blackfmith 
who was in the party took the petrified wood for 
coal, but befides its not being fo heavy, he was con- 
vinced of the contrary by throwing it into the fire. 

On the 24th we found a quantity of grapes, but 
they are nothing to what had been reprefented to 
me, and neither as good nor as large as thofe found 
on the River of the Illinois, and efpecially on the 
River of the Miamis and in greater quantity. 

On the 25th there fell fo heavy a rain that we 
had to get up on a hill more than thirty feet high 
and tranfport our cabin there. 

On the 26th we paiTed the Riviere a Mayot'3 on 
the fouth, from the name of an Indian of the Mo- 
hegan nation who was of Mr. de la Salle's party. 
This river does not feem to be very large, but is 
faid to be a good hunting ground, and that the 
Chickacha come to its mouth, from which they are 
only three day's journey, cutting fouth inland. 

A league or two lower down we found a periagua 
of Taogria.H Thev are people of the Mohegan 

13 Riviere a Margot. the river of Cafquinambo (Tcnnef 

fee), a branch of the Ohio, and af- 

J4 Benard dc la Harpc mentions cribes the butchery of fome French- 

(he Taogarios as a nation fettled on men to the Englifh fettled among 



Down and Up the Mijftjfippi, 125 

nation, who trade much with the EngHfh. There 
were only fix men, a woman, and child ; they were 
coming from the Akanfea. The one who feemed 
to me the moft confiderable faid fome Illinois words, 
and fpoke Chaoiianoiia. He made me fit down on 
a bear fkin fpread before his field cabin, and pre- 
fented me fagamity to eat ; he then told me as news 
that Father de Limoges,'5 (whom he called Captain 
Pauiongha) had capfized in his canoe and loft every 
thing; and that the Kappa Akanfea had given him 
provifions and a canoe to continue his journey. I 
gave him a knife and half a box of vermillion. He 
made me a prefent of a large piece of meat of his 
chafe. A league after parting with him we killed 
four does. We did not exped: fuch a piece of good 
luck ; and we neither killed nor faw another beafi: 
from Riviere a Mayot to the fea. 

On the 27th we pafi^ed St. Francis river at the 
point of a turn to the north, eighteen leagues from 
the Akanfea. 

On the 29th leaving our cabinage we ran weft 
and then kept fouthweft. About noon we dif- 
covered four periaguas of Akanfeas ; when my 
canoe got near land, an old man came into the water 
and carried me afhore on his fhoulders. The chief 
made me fit down on a great bearfkin, and the 
French on ofier branches, which he made his young 

them. It is therefore worth while '5 Father Jofeph de Lymoges 

to inveftigatc who were thefe Al- mud have been on the Illinois mif- 

gonquin Indians on the Tenneffee fion, and on his way down at this 

known to the Englifh in 1 700. time. After his Oumas miffion all 



R 



trace of him difappears. 



126 Father Graviers Voyage 

men cut. He prefented me two piakimina cakes, 
which I diftributed among the French ; and af- 
flided as I was that they did not underftand me, 
wifhing to fpeak to them of God, I retired to pray 
for them, while the kettles were boiling. They 
ferved me a plate of fagamity of fmall Indian corn, 
and another of fmall corn whole, feafoned with ex- 
cellent fquafli. I made a little prefent to the chief of 
the band, and on the 30th we went and cabined a 
league lower down, half a league from the old village 
of the Akanfea, where they formerly received the 
late Father Marquette, and which is difcernible now 
only by the old outworks (dehors), there being no 
cabins left. 

On the 3 1 ft, about 9 A. M., we arrived at the 
village of the Kappa Akanfea, who are at 24 deg., 
according to Father Marquette's eftimate. The 
village is half a league from the water's edge. Mr. 
de Montigny planted a crofs on the hill, which is 
very fteep, and forty feet high. After fainting the 
crofs and chanting the Vexilla Regis with the French 
we notified the Akanfea by three guns, and in lefs 
than half a quarter of an hour at moft, two young 
men appeared fword in hand, followed clofe by the 
chief of the Kappas and the chief of the Tourima, 
and twenty or thirty well made young men with 
their bows and arrows. Some had fwords, and two 
or three EngliHi guns, given to them laft year by 
the man who brought them a lot of merchandife 
to alienate them from the French, and efpecially 
from the miffionaries, whom he had an averfion 



Down and Up the Mijftjfippi. 127 

againft, boafting that he would put the firft he met 
in irons and put them to death. The French who 
took him found wherewith to make him a pair of 
handcuffs with irons, and prevented his doing all the 
harm he propofed to do/^ He had already two 
concubines at the Kappas. 

To refume ; the chiefs invited me to go to their 
village, which confifts of forty cabins. A part of 
the French accompanied me there, while the others 
guarded the canoes at anchor. They took me to 
the cabin of the chief, who made me fit down on 
a mat of drefTed canes, and at the fame time put 
on the fire a kettle of fmall Indian corn, feafoned 
plentifully with dried peaches. They brought 
me from another cabin a large platter of ripe fruit 
of piakimina It is pretty much like the French 
medlar. The platter was prefented to the chief 
to hand to me. As it is the moft excellent fruit 
the Indians have from the Illinois to the fea, the 
chief did not fail to begin his feaft with it. After 
tafting a little I pafTed the difh to Brother Guibert 
and the French who fat oppofite me. I did the 
fame with the fagamity. I remarked that all who 
entered the cabin flood at the door, and advanced 
only when the chief told them to do fo and fit down. 
There was a Metchigamikoiie woman there, who 
adted as my interpreter, and confirmed the ftory of 

'6 It is probably impoffible, at Chickafaws to attack the Colapiffks, 

this day, to difcover who were thefe fettling among the Arkanfas. trading 

adventurous Englifhmen who were on the Tenneflee. 
fo early on the Miffiffippi, leading 



128 Father Graviers Voyage 

Father de Limoges' capfizing and lofs of all he had. 
She gave hhii her provifion of Indian corn and 
fquaflies to carry him as far as the Natchez, and the 
chief gave him an earthen pot, after regaling him 
as well as he could. I allied him whether he re- 
collecfted to have formerly feen a Frenchman drelTed 
in black, attired like me, in their village. He re- 
plied that he recolleded it well, but that it was fo 
long ago that he could not count the years. I told 
him that it was more than twenty-feven years. He 
added that they danced the Captain's calumet to 
him, which I did not at once underftand, fuppofing 
that he fpoke of the calumet of the Illinois, which 
the Kafkafkias had given Father Marquette to carry 
with him on the MiiTiffipi as a fafeguard ; but I 
found in the Father's journal that they did in fad 
dance the calumet to him. He then had me afked 
in how many days I would ftart, and having told 
him that I had come afhore merely to falute him in 
his cabin, and that I was going to embark, he begged 
me to remain at leaft one day, to have provifions 
prepared, and that all the young men of his village 
were very glad to fee me. I replied to his compli- 
ment and ftated that I was in hade to get to my 
journey's end. I had previouily inquired whether 
there were any fick ; my interpreter informed me 
that there were none. At laft, after a good deal of 
going and coming, and many confultations with his 
people, the chief of the village afked me to ftay till 
next day, becaufe he wifl:ied to dance the chief's cal- 
umet with his young men to me. As this is a fpecial 



Down and Up the Mijftjpppi. 129 

honor which is done but rarely, and only to perfons 
of diftind:ion, I thanked him for his good will, 
faying that I did not efteem myfelf a captain, and 
that I was ftarting immediately. My anfwer pleafed 
the French, but it was fcarcely agreeable to all the 
others, who by doing me this honor hoped to draw 
prefents from me. The chief conducted me to the 
water's edge, followed by all his people, and they 
brought me a quantity of dried peaches, piachimina, 
and fquafhes. I made a prefent to the chiet of a 
little lead and powder, and a box of vermillion to 
daub his youth, and fome other trifle which he was 
much pleafed with, telling him that I thanked him 
for the fervice he had rendered Father Limoges. 
After I embarked they fired four guns, to which the 
people with me refponded. Two leagues from the 
village there is a little river, on which they go in 
canoes in the fpring, behind the hills, to their cabin 
doors. 

As I have here mentioned the calumet, you will 
be pleafed to have me tell you fomething of it 
here. There is nothing among these Indians more 
myfterious or commendable. No luch honor is 
paid to the crowns and Ibeptres of kings as they pay 
to it. It feems to be the god of peace and war, the 
arbiter of life and death. To carry and (liow it en- 
ables you to march with aifurance amid enemies who 
in the heat of the combat lay down their arms when 
it is (hown. It was on this account that the Illi- 
nois gave one to the late Father Marquette as 
a fafeguard among the nations of the MifTiffipi, 



130 Father Graviers Voyage 

through whom he was to pass on his voyage going 
to the difcovery of this river and the nations dwell- 
ing on it. 

There is a calumet for peace and one tor war, 
which are diftinguifhed fimply by the colour of the 
feathers with which they are trimmed. The red 
is a mark of war ; they ufe it alio to fettle their dif- 
putes, to confirm alliances and to fpeak to ftrangers. 
It is a kind of pipe to fmoke tobacco, made of a 
red ftone polifhed like marble and pierced fo that 
one end ferves to receive the tobacco and the other 
fits on the handle. This is a hollow piece of wood, 
two feet long, and as thick as an ordinary cane. It 
is by reafon of this that the French have flyled it 
Calumet, corrupting the word Chaluineau, becaufe 
it refembles a pipe, or rather a long fiute. It is 
embellifhed with the head or neck of various birds, 
whofe plumage is very beautiful. They add alfo 
large red or green or other coloured leathers, with 
which it is all trimmed. They efteem it efpecially 
becaufe they regard it as the calumet or pipe ot the 
fun, and in fadt they proffer it to him to fmoke 
when they wifh to obtain calm, rain or fair weather. 
They would fcruple to bathe in the beginning ot 
hot weather, or to eat new fruits till after they had 
danced the calumet, that is to fay, the chief holds 
it in his hands finging airs, to which the others re- 
fpond, dancing and making geftures in time with 
the found of certain inftruments of the fafliion of 
fmall drums. 

On the ifl of November moft of the French 



Down and Up the Mijftjftppi. 1 3 i 

approached the iacraments, and after celebrating 
the feaft'7 in the beft way we could, we con- 
tinued our voyage and difcovered the river of the 
Akanfea eight leagues from the village of the 
Kappa. 

The Sitteoiii Akanfea are five leagues above its 
mouth and are much more numerous than the 
Kappa and Tourima ; thefe are the three villages of 
the Akanfea.'^ This river, which is on the north 
of the MiffifTipi, is very beautiful ; it divides into 
three branches a league from the village of the 
Oufitteoiii, it runs N. W. and by alcending it they 
go to reach the river of the MifTouris by making a 
portage. They reckon 60 leagues from the Kappa 
to the river of the Toumika, and on the third day 
we palTed Pointe Coupee, which is half way. We 
were then at anchor for fix days of rain, and did 
not make much progrefs. 

On the 7th a furious fog arofe and the rain 
obliged us to cabin on a hill more than 40 or 50 
feet high, and at 7 P. M. we were furprifed by a 
furious gale. It lafted over an hour and gave all 
hands plenty of exercife to fave the canoes and bag- 
gage, and threatened to crufh us every moment 
under the trees that were falling around us. When 
the wind fell the rain was fo violent for two days 
that I never faw the like. 

Our people killed a crocodile three fathoms 
long. It is an animal of the colour of a toad, 
fhaped like a lizard. It is often found on land and 

17 Feaft of All Saints. »8 See page 75 n. 



132 Father Graviers Voyage 

although it walks very flowly, men feldom ap- 
proach it unlefs well armed. The fcales with which 
it is covered are proof againfi: fmall fliot, and re- 
quire a ball to pierce them ; I do not know how 
the Indians do, who have only arrows, unlefs they 
flide under the fcales behind. Its mouth is very 
large and armed with two rows of teeth longer than 
a bear's. It makes you ihudder to fee it and hear 
it grit its teeth. They say that the tongue is good 
eating, but I have not yet had the curiofity to tafte 
it or the reft of the body, which moft of the In- 
dians efteem a great dainty. From time to time it 
cofts the life of fome of thofe who venture to 
plunge in to take them after they are wounded. 
Many are to be feen larger than this one. 

On the 13th, after the mafs of the BlelTed Stan- 
iflaus,^9 we fet out and the next day reached the river 
of the Tounika. I left the five canoes of French 
at the mouth ; it is on the fouth of the MilTiffippi. 
I embarked in my canoe to go and vifit Mr. Da- 
vion, miflionary prieft, who was fick ; I left my 
canoe four leagues from the river at the foot of a 
hill, where there are five or fix cabins. The road, 
which is two leagues by land, is quite pretty. I 
found piakimina trees loaded with fruit and many 
copal trees exuding gum. We pafTed in the roads 
canes forty feet high and thick as your arm. The 
ftalk of the corn, which we call Indian corn, is 
over fifteen to twenty feet high, and fo are the fun 

19 St. Staniflaus Koftka of the beatified, and was canonized in the 
Society of Jefus; he was at this time year 1727. 



Down and Up the MiJJiJfippi. 133 

flowers and thick in proportion. We favv five or 
fix hamlets of a few cabins, and I was furprized 
that the Indians, who fo rarely fee Frenchmen, 
fhowed fo little curiofity. There was none except 
at Mr. Davion's village, where all the people 
efcorted me to the hoiife of that fervent miiTionary, 
whom I found in bed with the fever. He arofe 
next day to receive at my mafs, and went out for 
the firft time with me to vilit lome cabins. He 
converfed with me with great franknefs on the 
miffion which he is beginning to eflablifh, and God 
bleifes his zeal and the ftudy which he makes of 
the language, which he begins to fpeak better than 
could be naturally expected from a perfon of his 
age. There are three different languages in his 
miffion, the Jakou-° of 30 cabins, the Ounfpik of 
10 or 12 cabins, and the Toumika who are in {^vtn 
hamlets, and who comprife in all 50 or 60 fmall cabins. 
He devotes himfelf only to this laft language, and 
the Tounika being the moll numerous give name to 
the miffion. They are very docile; polygamy is 
rare among them, but their caprice and the cuftom 
of the country authorizes repudiation for next to 
nothing, for which reafon the village is fcarcely 
peopled, and I faw hardly any children. The girls 
are not fo loofe or bold as they are among the 
Natchez and Taenia. They acknowledge nine 
gods, the fun, thunder, fire, the god of the eaft, 
fouth, north and well, of heaven and of earth. In 
each cabin there is a great poft that fupports it, at 

io Apparently the Yazoos. 

s 



134 Father Graviers Voyage 

the foot of which there are two or three Httle 
earthen pots near the fire, out of which they take 
a little afhes to put in thefe pots, from I know not 
what fuperftition. This is the poft of the fpirit or 
genius. They are fo clofe-mouthed as to all the 
myfteries of their religion that the miffionary 
could not difcover anything about it. The women 
have a drefs of mulberry cloth which they fpin like 
hemp and flax; it is a ftrong, thick cloth. Their 
petticoat is very decent, from the waift to below 
the knees ; there is a fringe very well worked as 
well as their mantle, either all uniform or worked 
in lozenges or in fquares or in ermine, which they 
wear ufually as a fa(h, and rarely on the two flioul- 
ders. Neither men nor women greafe or oil their 
hair like ail our Canadian Indians, but this is 
perhaps from lack of both (greafe and oil), bear's 
meat and deer being very rare in their village as 
well as all other beafts. The women have a great 
trefs of hair on the back which hangs down below 
the waift ; they alfo make a crown of it around 
the head. Their head like the men's is flat. Mo- 
thers carefully put their children's heads in prei's 
from birth to render them flat. Moft of the men 
have long hair, and no drefs but a wretched deer 
fkin. Sometimes they too, as well as the women, 
have mantles of turkey feathers or of mufl^rats 
fkins well woven and worked. The men do 
here what peafants do in France; they cultivate 
and dig the earth, plant and harveft the crops, cut 
the wood and bring it to the cabin, drefs the deer 



Down a7td Up the MiJJiJfippi. 135 

and buffalo fkins when they have any. They drefs 
them the heft of all Indians that I have feen. The 
women do only indoor work, make the earthen 
pots and their clothes. Their cabins are round 
and vaulted. They are lathed with canes and 
plaftered with mud from bottom to top, within 
and without with a good covering of ftraw. There 
is no light except by the door, and no matter how 
little lire there is (the smoke of which' has no 
efcape but the door) it is as hot as a vapour bath. 
At night a lighted torch of dried canes ferves as a 
candle and keeps all the cabin warm. Their bed 
is of round canes, raifed on four pofts, three feet 
high, and a cane mat i'erves as a mattrafs. Nothing 
is neater than their cabins. You lee there neither 
clothes, nor facks, nor kettles, nor hatchets, nor guns; 
they carry all with them and have no riches but 
earthenpots quite well made; efpecially little glazed 
pitchers, as neat as you would fee in France; their 
granaries are near their cabins, made like dove- 
cotes, built on four large pofts 15 or 16 feet high, 
well put together and well polifhed, fo that the 
mice cannot climb up, and in this way they pro- 
ted: their corn and fquaflies, which are ftill better 
than thofe of the Illinois. There are no peaches 
\v\ this village as there at the Akanfea ; but fuch an 
abundance of piakimina, that they go in the woods 
with their families to harveft them, as the Illinois 
go with their families to hunt the buffalo, which 
is very rare in this country, where they live on this 
fruit in the woods for a month, beddes which they 



136 Father Graviers Voyage 

pound and dry great quantities which they preferve 
for a long time. They have only one fmall tem- 
ple raifed on a mound of earth. They never enter 
it, Mr. Davion told me, except when going to or 
returning from war, and do not make all the howl- 
ings of the Taenfa and Natches when they pafs in 
front of their temples, where there is always an old 
man who maintains the fire. 

Mr. St. Cofme having learned that Mr. Davion 
was in extremis, arrived from the miffion of the 
Natches. Before my departure they both con- 
firmed Father de Limoge's accident, and his faving 
only his chalice and crucifix of all that he had with 
him. They gave him all that he needed to go to the 
Fort of the Miffifiipi, greatly edified at the joy and 
firmnefs which he difplayed in the very confidera- 
ble lofs he fuftained of all the miffion furniture, 
bleffing God, they told me, for thus weaning him 
from all he had. The Natches, Mr, de St. Cofme 
affiired me, are far from being as docile as the 
Tounika. They pradtice polygamy, fteal and are 
very vicious, the girls and women more than the 
men and boys, among whom there is much to re- 
form before anything can be expected of them. 
The Taenfas, who fpeak the fame language, have 
the fame habits also ; their village is twenty leagues 
from the river of the Tounika. It is four leagues 
inland. After one league's march, you come to a 
lake where there are always a number of alligators. 
It muft be crolTed in a canoe to reach the village, 
which is more clofe fet than that of the Tounika. 



Down and Up the MiJfiJJtppi. 137 

The temple having been reduced to afhes laft 
year by hghtning, which fell on a matter as com- 
buftible as the canes with which it is thatched, the 
old man who is its guardian, faid that the fpirit was 
incenfed becaufe no one was put to death on the 
deceafe of the laft chief, and that it was neceiTary 
to appeafe him. Five women had the cruelty to 
call: their children into the fire, in light of the 
French who recounted it to me, or rather gave 
them to the old man who caft them into the fire 
while niaking his invocations and chanting with 
thefe women during the cruel ceremony, and but 
for the French there would have been a great many 
more children burnt. The chief's cabin having 
been converted into a temple the five unnatural 
mothers were borne to it in triumph as five hero- 
ines. 

At the point of the turn where the village is, 
the river is not over an arpent and a half wide, 
and forms a ftrait, where it is very difficult to 
ftem the current, and it is here that Mr. de la 
Salle fays there is a whirlpool where trees plunge 
in root up and come out only half a league lower 
down. I did not perceive this, perhaps it occurred 
only when he palled or is feen only from time to 
time. After meeting with heavy rains which 
would have inundated all our baggage by night, 
had I fiept as foundly as our canoe men, we had 
pretty fair weather to reach the Natches, fouth of 
the Taenfas, from whom they are only twenty 
leagues diftant. After mounting a httle bluff you 



138 Father Graviers Voyage 

find a great beaten road leading to a rather fteep 
hill, more than half which is covered in the high 
waters. On top of this hill you difcern a noble 
prairie. The moft beaten road leads to the village 
where the temple is ; the others running off right 
and left, lead to different hamlets. There are only 
four cabins in that in which the temple is. It is 
very fpacious and covered with cane mats, which 
they repew every year with great ceremonies, 
which it would be prolix to infert here. They 
begin by a four days' faft with emetics, till blood 
comes. There is no window, no chimney in this 
temple, and it is only by the light of the fire that 
you can fee a little, and then the door which is very 
low and narrow muft be open. I imagine that the 
obfcurity of the place inlpires them with refped:. 
The old man who is the keeper, keeps the fire up 
and takes great care not to let it go out. It is in 
the centre of the temple in front of a fort of mau- 
foleum after the Indian fadiion. There are three, 
about eight or nine feet long, fix feet broad and 
nine or ten feet high. They are fupported by four 
large pofts covered with mats of canes in quite neat 
columns and iurmounted by a platform of plaited 
canes. This would be rather graceful were it not 
all blackened with fmoke and covered with foot. 
There is a large mat which ferves as a curtain to 
cover a large table, covered with five or fix cane 
mats on which fi:ands a large bafket that it is un- 
lawful to open, as the fpirit of each nation of thofe 
quarters repofes there, they fay, with that of the 



Down and Up the MiJJijftppi^ 139 

Natches. I am provoked at myfelf for not open • 
ing the baiket, although I would have offended the 
old man to have opened the curtain and touched 
this balTcet. There are others in the other two 
maufoleums, where the bones of their chiefs are, 
they fay, which they revere as divinities. All that 
I faw fomewhat rare was a piece of rock cryftal, 
which I found in a little bafket. I faw a number 
of little earthen pots, platters, and cups, and little 
cane bafkets, all well made. This is to ferve up 
food to the fpirits of the deceafed chiefs, and the 
temple keeper finds his profit in it. 

After examining all that there is in this temple, 
I law neither there nor elfewhere, the gold, filver, 
or precious ftones, or riches, or nine fathoms of 
fine pearls mentioned by the author of a relation 
printed in the name of Mr. de Tonty, and which 
he has difavowed to one who reproached him with 
all the falfehoods with which it is fluffed.^' It is 
alfo a fable, what that writer ventures to mention 
as having been feen by Mr. Tonty in a little clofet 
fet in the mud covered wall, where I neither faw 
nor tafted the exquifite liquors of which he fpeaks. 
Thefe things are all invented by the fame writer to. 
fet off his account.. It is a fad that the chief's wife 
has fome fmall pearls, which are neither round nor 
well pierced, but about feven or eight which are as 

21 The real narrative of the Sieur the one ifTued in his name was at 

de Tonty exifts, but only an im- once expofed and it was always dif- 

pcrfefl Englifh tranflation has ap- avowed by him. 
peared. The fidlitious charafter of 



14.0 Father Graviers Voyage 

large as fmall peas, which were bought for more 
than their value after a good deal of feeking. There 
are none of the riches or rareties which they pre- 
tended were to be found in the temple and village. 
The Frenchman whom M. d'lberville^^ left there 
to learn the language, told me that on the death of 
the lafl chief, they put to death two women, three 
men and three children ; they ftrangled them with 
a bowftring, and this cruel ceremony was performed 
with great pomp, thefe wretched vidlims deeming 
themfelves greatly honored to accompany their 
chief by a violent death. There were only feven for 
the great chief who died one month before. His 
wife, better advifed than the others, did not wifh to 
follow him, and began to weep when they wifhed 
to oblige her to accompany her hufband. Mr. de 
Montigni, who has left this country to go to Siam, 
being informed of what they were accuftomed to 
do, made them promife not to put any one to death. 
As a pledge of their word they gave him a little 

22 Pierre Le Moync d'lbcrv.illc, mUTed, cftablifhcd a colony, which 

fon of Charles Le Moyne, was born he left under the command of 

at Montreal, July 20, 1661, and like his brothers, de Sauvolle and dc 

all his brothers entered the fervice Bienville. He was the father of 

of the King. He fcrved firil in the Louifiana, and made feveral vo\ ages 

Indian wars, was then fcnt by Dc- to it bearing colonifts, fupplies and 

nonville, in 1686, to Hudfon's bay, arms. In 1706 he failed from 

of which he was appointed governor. France with a large fleet, intended 

He gained feveral victories here, and to attack Charlcllon, but flopping 

fubfequently took Fort Pemaquid, at St. Domingo died there of the 

and recovered Newfoundland. In yellow fever July 9, 1706. It is 

1698, he failed from Rochcllc, a reproach that no detailed memoir 

and difcovcring the mouth of the has been written of Iberville and 

MiffifTippi, which La Salle had his brother Bienville. 



Down and Up the Mijftjftppi, 14.1 

female flave whom they had refolved to put to 
death but for his prohibition : but to keep their 
curfed cuftom without its being perceived, the 
chief's wife, whom they call Ouachil Tamail, fun- 
woman (who is always the fifter and not the wife 
of the great chief), perfuaded him to retire to a 
diftant village fo as not to have his head fplit with 
the noife they would make in a ceremony where 
all were to take part. Mr. de Montigni not fuf- 
pedling anything believed her and withdrew, but 
in his abfence they put to death thofe whom they 
believed to be neceffary to go to cook and wait on 
the chief in the other world. Only the old men 
enter the temple to make their bowlings, fuch as I 
faw them do, after kindling the fire. 

All the men who pafs before the temple lay 
down what they carry, and extend their arms 
towards the temple with loud bowlings, and if they 
have fmall children they take them in their arms 
and turning towards the temple, they make them 
touch the ground three times with the forehead. 
They make^thefe fame howls when they pafs before 
the chief or the woman chief, or fpeak to them, or 
give them food or drink or [a pipe] to fmoke. 
The woman chief has much ability and more credit 
than one would think ; her brother is no great 
genius He has remarried nine times without any 
woman being able to ftay with him ; they have all 
left him and at prefent he lives alone by himfelf 

The women are clothed quite properly and well 
covered with a mantle that comes down below the 
T 



14-2 Father Gravier^s Voyage 

knee. Moil: of them have black teeth, it is a beauty 
among them. They blacken them by chewing the 
coal of tobacco, with the adies of which they rub 
the teeth every morning. 

The corn was not yet gathered in. The firfl 
harveft is made in thefe parts in the month of June ; 
and the fecond, which is the moft abundant, is not 
made till the end of November. Befides offering 
their firfh fruits in the temple in this village, the 
woman chief made the harveft of corn for the 
temple, and no one durft refufe what her emiifaries 
chofe to take. This harveft is made for the chief 
and the woman chief, and to furnifti food to the 
fpirits of the deceafed chiefs ; but all take part in 
the feaft made to them for fix days with the ordinary 
howls, cries and ceremonies, which they do not 
wifh to explain to the miffionaries, to whom for all 
anfwer they fay : Nou-kou^ that is to fay, / do not 
kjiow why it is done. All depends on the commif- 
fion of the chiefs who have too great an intereft in 
pafilng for fpirits among their people to embrace 
Chriftian humility fo foon.^3 

23 The Natchez are the tribe of as we have feen were vifited by the 
the Lower MifTiflippi, beft known miffionary St. Come, who gained 
to all readers from the maflacre their afFeftion, but did not fuccecd 
which they committed on the in converting many. After his death 
French and the exterminating war no mifTionary refided there to check 
confequently waged againft them, the injuftice of the whites; war en- 
Known perhaps to the Spaniards as fued in 1716-23, but though peace 
early as 1560, when Triftan de was made, refentment remained, 
Luna marched againft them. They and in 1729 they rofe againft the 
are next mentioned by the chroni- French, in confequence of the ty- 
clers of La Salle's expedition, and ranny of a French commandant. 



Down a?td Up the Mijftjftppi. 143 

We left this village of the Natchez on the 24th 
and 25th of November. We difcovered the hills 
of the Houmas"^ on the fouth of the Mifliffipi, 
which forms a bay, that you enter, leaving the main 
channel on the right. It is a good league and a 
half from the landing to the village of the Houmas 
by a bad enough road, all ups and downs and bend- 
ino- half double in the canes. The village is fituated 
on^the creft of a mountain rugged and precipitous 
on all fides. There are eighty cabins, and in the 
middle of the village a fine level fquare, where from 
morning to night there are young men who exer- 
cife themfelves in running after a flat ftone which 
they throw in the air from one end of the fquare to 



The French, aided by the Choc- 
taws, then attacked them, and dc- 
ftroyed their national cxiftencc. 
Many perifhed, many were taken 
and fold as flaves in the WcR In- 
dies, the reft fled to the Chickafaws, 
and as this involved them in war, 
retired finally to the Creeks, where 
a remnant ftill remains. Their 
language was peculiar to themfelves, 
and the Taenfas. {Du Pratz., 
Montigni, arte p. 76.) 

24 The Houmas or Oumas, the 
tribe here defcribed, and one of the 
firfl whom any attempt was made 
to convert, gave (hclter in 1706 to 
the Tonicas, who had been driven 
from their village by the Chicka- 
faws and Alabamas, at the inlliga- 
tion of the Englifh; but the Tonicas 



played the fame treachery towards 
them that the Taenfas did to the 
Baiougoulas, furprifmg them, and 
kilhng more than half the nation. 
The furvivors fled to the Bayou St. 
Jean, which flows into Lake Pon- 
chartrain near the fltc of New Or- 
leans. (La Harpe, Journal Hiftor- 
iquc, 100.) Charlevoix, in 1721, 
found diem a little higher up (vol. 
Ill, p. 436). A few huts of this 
nation ftill exift on the Red river, 
according to feme accounts, and 
below Manchac and in the vicinity 
of the Attakapas, according to others. 
The name is Choftaw, and means 
red men, from humma, red {Arch- 
aol. Americana, 11, 11 5- 17); but 
no vocabulary of the language^ en- 
ables us to decide to what divifion 
they belonged. 



144- Father Gravier's Voyage 

the other, and which they try to have fall on two 
cylinders that they roll where they think that the 
ftone will fall. The temple has nothing handfome 
but the veftibule which is adorned with the moil 
agreeable grotefques and the beft made almoft that 
one could fee. They are four fatyrs, two of whom 
are en bojfe, all four ftanding out from the wall, 
having around the head, hands and feet in bands, 
bracelets, garters, baldrics and belts, fnakes, mice 
and dogs. The colors are black, white, red and 
yellow, and fo well applied and without confuiion, 
that it is a fpe<51:acle that furprifes agreeably. The 
old man who keeps up the fire which he called to 
us louak or hughe (facred fire), fhowed us the bones 
of the woman chief who died lafl year. This 
woman had rendered herfelf fo important by the 
blows fhe had ftruck againft the enemy, having led 
feveral war parties in perfon, that fhe was regarded 
as an amazon and as the miftrefs of the whole vil- 
lage, and more honor was paid to her than to the 
great chief. She had the firft place in all councils, 
and when (he walked fhe was always preceded by 
four young men who fang and danced the calumet to 
her. She was drefTed as an Amazon, painted her face 
and had her hair drefTed like the men. They do not 
make in this village any of all the bowlings ufual 
among the Natchez when they pafs before the 
temple, oppofite which there is a chapel fifty feet 
long which Father du Rut built lafl fpring, with a 
large crofs 35 or 40 feet high, that he planted in 
the village fquare. 



Down and Up the Mijfjjfippi. 145 

Father de Limoges had arrived there two or 
three days before to relide there and labor in con- 
verting the Houmas, who feem to me very docile. 
The great chief is very reafonable and faid that he 
acknowledged only one Great Spirit who had made 
all things. I counted feventy cabins in the village 
which I vilited with Father de Limoges, who 
kindly gave me the firft fruits of his miflion in the 
baptifm of a child three days old which I performed, 
giving it the name of St. Francis Xavier, patron of 
the miflion, to whom God opened Paradife a few 
days after, that he might there labor to convert his 
parents and countrymen. 

On the 3d of December we celebrated the feaft 
of that great faint as folemnly as we could, and I 
fang the firfl high mafs ever heard in the village. 
I was furprifed at their little curiolity. If the Mif- 
liflipi is fettled and this million is not taken from 
us, there is reafon to hope, from the docility of thefe 
poor people, that good will be done there. The 
women and girls there have more modefty than 
among the neighboring nations. God deign to 
convert them and render the road to their village 
impaflable to certain French libertines. All that 
they do to their lick is to fuck them till blood 
comes. I faw one in the hands of the old medicine 
men (jongleurs) one of whom whiftled and played 
on a gourd, another fucked, and another fang the 
fong of the alligator, the fkin of which ferved him 
as a drum. 

As they reft fatiffied with their fquafhes and corn. 



14-6 Fatiier^ G'raviers Voyage 

of which they have plenty, they are indolent and 
feldom go hunting. They have withal the re- 
putation of being warriors and being feared by 
neighboring nations. They are not cruel and very 
far from putting to death any of the flaves they 
make ; as foon as they enter the village the women 
weep over them, compalTionating their being taken, 
and then treat them better than their children. 
When any of their people go hunting, the women 
begin to cry as if they were going to lofe them, 
and when they return from the hunt weep with 
joy to fee them again. 

There are few villages in France where there are 
more cocks and hens than in that of the Houmas,^s 
for they never kill them, and will not even eat thofe 
killed frequently by the dogs. When you wifh to 
get chickens from them, you muft not fay that you 
wifli to kill or eat them, as they would be relu(5lant 
to give them, but they will fell them readily when 
they are not killed in their pretence, or when people 
tell them they carry them away to bring them up 
as they do. The hens have chickens at all times, 
and they were running around in all the cabins 
in the month of December. They keep warm 
in thefe cabins, which they take care to keep clean 
and fweep two or three times a day. 

The children, men and youth are dreifed like the 
Tounikas. The women wear a fringed robe, which 

^5 ThcTe were got originally from this, been kept as curiofitics, or pcr- 
a vclTel wrecked at the mouth of the haps objeds of fupcrftition, and not 
Miffiffippi, and had, as we fee by as articles of food. 



Down and Up the Mijftjffippi. 14.7 

covers them from the waift to below the knee. 
When they leave their cabins they put on a robe of 
mufkrat fkins or turkey feathers. They have the 
face tattoed [pique et figure') and the hair plaited 
like the Tounika and Natches, and blacken the 
teeth like them. Although all Indians are ex- 
tremely afraid of cold, at the leaft frofl: (for there is 
no winter) they go bathing, big and little, and 
come out of the water perifhing with cold. An 
old man gives the cry at day break when it freezes. 
Thefe kinds of baths fometimes caufe the bloody 
flux, which carries off many. Father de Limoges 
begins to make himfelf underftood and will do good 
in that miffion. He recounted his wreck to me, 
in which he loft everything, and the lofs is more 
ferious than you would think. More than one 
miffion will feel it ; it was by letting themfelves 
drift off in the current by night, that their canoe 
ftruck againft a tree which had ftopped in the 
middle of the current and fent it wheeling round 
and turning on the flde full of water, and if he had 
not quickly caught hold of the tree, he would have 
drowned half afleep. He loft all but his chalice, 
which he got out of the box, I know not how. 
This is all that he could fave, and it is a kind of 
miracle that he faved his own life, after ftruggling 
for it almoft three hours, by means of a bough of 
a tree borne down by the current, to which he and 
his two failors clung. He let the current carry him 
down, and it at laft drove him afhore, where being 
without fire they dried their clothes in the wind 



14-8 Father Graviers Voyage 

and fun as beft they could, and made a raft of three 
or four pieces of floating wood which they tied to- 
gether with ivy, and failed for three days on this new 
canoe, always between two waters, with nothing to 
eat all the time but a little wild purflain raw. This 
beloved miffionary told me that he with fruit 
thought of St. Francis Xavier difputing his life as 
many days with the waters on a bit of plank. On 
the fourth day he difcovered the fire of fome Akan- 
fea who were hunting. They received him and 
his companions very kindly, gave them food and 
took them to their village, where the Father found 
his canoe, which had caught in fome drift wood. 
He has fince been equipped with all that is neceifary 
for his Houma miflion, from which I fet out De- 
cember 4th, and after three leagues fail we found 
on the north fide of the Mifllfiipi the Red river of 
which they fpeak fo much. If the third attempt 
which the French have made there in the laft feven 
or eight months fucceeds, the mifijonaries will have 
a paflage to go there and vifit various nations that 
line this river which runs foutheafl: ; they are almoft 
all only little hamlets like the Natches, which 
makes thofe who wifh to give great ideas of all 
thefe nations fay that there are villages without end 
and three, four, five and fix leagues in extent, wifh- 
ing to pafs oflT hamlets of three or four cabins, 
feparated from each other for the convenience of 
the ground, for fo many villages of the fame nation. 
Mr. de Bienville^^ who has penetrated the furtheft 

*6 Le Moyne de Bienville was a governor of Louifiana on the death 
brother of Iberville, and became of his brother, Le Moyne de Sau- 



Down and Up the Mijftjftppi, 14.9 

told me that it was all overflowed in the months of 
March and April, that there were fmall heights 
among the Natchitoch quite thickly peopled, where 
the corn came up to his ihoulder. 

At the end of March Mr. de St. Denis^^ is to go 
to the Kadodakio,-^ and inftead of going by the 
way of the Senis, where the murderers of Mr. de la 
Salle had retired, he is to take the left and pufh on 
to the Kiouahaa,-9 the 'moft remote known, where 
they hope to find mines. He is to be back here 
at the clofe of this month, and if he does not find 
(liver mines they have nothing lefs than what they 



voile, Aug. 22, 1700. He remained in 
office till 1712, M. du Muys, named 
to facceed him in 1 707, having died 
on the way. From 171 2 he was 
Lieutenant Governor under La 
Mothe Cadillac, and next Governor 
under Crozat and the MiffifTippi 
Company in 1726, when he was 
fucceeded by M. Perier, but was 
reappointed in 1734, and continued 
in office till after his futile Chicka- 
faw campaign in 1739. He then 
returned to France and lived to fee 
his native Canada pafs into the hands 
of England, and Louiliana, founded 
and built up by himfelf and his bro- 
thers, pafs into the hands of the 
Spaniards. He died at Paris, March 

i? Juchereau de St, Denis was 
one of the firft to join the colony of 
Louifiana. In 17 14 he explored 
the Red River fully, and the next 
year made his way to the Spanifh 
ports to negotiate a commercial 
treaty. His career was full of ro- 

u 



mance, and after marrying a Spanilh 
lady and being fcnt in chains to 
Mexico, he at laft returnod to Mo- 
bile. 

^8 The Cadodakios or Caddoes 
a divifion of the Texas or Senis, are 
firfl: mentioned (ante 3 1 n.), by Jou- 
tel, who, p. 278, makes them allies of 
the Aflbny, Natfohos and Nachitos. 
Father Anaftafius alfo defcribes 
them (Le Clercq Etah. de la FoiJ. 
They were then on Red River, 
where a few of the Caddoes and 
Natchitoches ftill remain. Later 
writers fhow their languages to be 
different (Archaol. Americana, 11, 
46). Some have endeavored to 
identify them with the Niflbhone and 
Naquizcoza and Nazacahoz, men- 
tioned by the Fidalgo of Elvas as on 
the Daycao river, p. 110-2 (ed. 
1844). 

*9 Kiouahaa, compare Cavelier's 
account (ante p. 74) where the 
Kouaras are mentioned, 



150 Father Graviers Voyage 

feek in the fettlement of the MifTiiTipi, which over- 
flows all the land tor eighty leagues and more from 
its mouth, except fome little cantons. 

On the 10th we faid the mafs of St. Francis 
Xavier to begin the devotion of the Ten Fridays. 
The next day we reached the crofs which marks 
the village oi the Baiougoula/^° on the north of the 
Miffiffipi and 40 leagues from the Houmas. As 
the waters have been extremely high this year they 
have undermined the cliff more than ten feet along, 
fo that the crofs has fallen with the earth that flid 
down. I did not go up to the village and it was 
only on my return from Bilocchi that I viiited the 
Baiougoula, who maffacred the chief of the Mon- 
goulacha with more than two hundred men of that 
nation, which was very friendly to the French and 
which formed a village with the Baiougoula as the 
PioUaroiJa do with the Kafkafkia. The blood of 
fo many innocent perfons cries vengeance and God 
begins to punifh them by famine and ficknefs and 
they muft be in fear left the Houmas and KolapifTas 
avenge the murder of all their allies. I never faw 
anything fo beggarly. I know fome words of their 
lansuage; but as more than two thirds were abfent 

30 The Baiougoulas and Mon- and almofl all maflacred by their 

goulachas were allies, but a difpute perfidious guefts. La Harpe, 98. 

arifing the chief of the former plan- Small pox fwept off many of the 

ned a maffacre of the Mongoulachas warriors, and in 1 721 not a family 

and almofi: exterminated them, but ofthem was known to cxill, Charle- 

the Baiougoulas foon fell a vicftim voix, in, 436. The name is Choc- 

to a fimilar adl of treachery in 1 706, taw, and may be White oak people, 

for having received the Tonicas into from bale, white oak, ogula or oklo, 

fheir village, they were furprifed nation. 



Down and Up the Mijftjfippi, 151 

from their village, whence they had been driven by 
hunger, I remained only four days. They pro- 
mifed to rebuild the chapel and do all that I afked, 
but unlefs the chief is very far from there, there is 
not much for a miffionary to do. I planted a large 
crofs on the bank inftead of that carried away by 
the waters. They rofe twenty feet high. 

Five leagues below the village you find on the 
north fide a little arm of the Mifllfiipi of which 
Mr. de la Salle fpeaks, which he fays has over thirty 
fathoms water and is very convenient for large vef- 
fels ; but M. de Iberville, who explored and founded 
it, did not find water enough for a boat. The 
more we approach the lower end of the Mifliflipi, 
the more we goeaft and eaftfoutheaft. We found 
alfo ftronger currents and wretched cabinage, and 
in the tide waters potter's clay conflantly ; or elfe 
you muft ftrike far into the woods, which it is diffi- 
cult to penetrate and not meet cane thickets out of 
which it is hard to get. 

From the Natches we lived entirely on Indian 
corn and a few fquafhes, fince for fome time back 
we met in thefe parts neither buffalo, deer nor bear; 
and if we found any bufi:ards or wild geefe, they were 
fo lean that they were as taftelefs as wood, which 
makes all our canoe men figh often for the river of 
the Illinois and the beauty of the country and land- 
ings and its plenty of buffalo and deer and all forts 
of fat and excellent game. It is a long voyage 
this down the Mifllffipi, very tedious and very dif • 



152 Father Graviers Voyage 

ficult, efpecially coming back, and very inconven- 
ient on account of the gnats and other flies, called 
maringouins, brulots and mouftiques, the great 
rains, the exceffive heats, the wretched landings, in 
mud and potter's clay, often knee deep, and tor the 
fcanty fare. Unlefs you ftart with a canoe half 
loaded with provisions, you mull: exped; to faft well, 
and I could hardly believe that our Indians from 
above and from the Illinois country will come here 
to get goods fuch a diftance with fo much toil and 
riik. The periagua of the Baioiigoulas which we 
met did not make over three or four leagues a day. 
They were badly clothed for the feafon, for they 
had only half a deer fkin to proted: themfelves from 
the cold, and there was one old woman fo wretched 
that fhe had only a little mofs to cover herfelf 
Many old people among all thefe Indians have no 
other clothing. 

At laft, on the 17th of December, I reached the 
Fort of the Miffifripi,3^ after 68 days fail down. 
This firfl eftablifliment is on the fouth fide of the 
river, eighteen leagues from its mouth. There is 
no fort nor baftion, entrenchment or redoubt ; all 
conlifts of a battery of fix guns, fix and eight 
pounders, planted on the brow of the bluff, and of 
five or fix cabins feparate from each other and co- 
vered with palm leaves. The commandant Mr. de 
Bienville has quite a nice little houfe there. I per- 

31 Fort of the Miffiffippi was, it thirty-eight miles below the city of 
is faid, on Poverty Point, about New Orleans. 



Down and Up the Mijftjftppi, 153 

ceived on arriving that they began to cry Famine, 
and that the bread fluffs began to run out, which 
obHged me to take to Indian food io as to be a 
burthen to none, and put up with Indian corn with- 
out meat or fifh till the velTels come which are 
hardly expefted before the end of March. If the 
Miffiffipi is fettled they will tranffer the fort, or 
rather they will build it at the Baiagoulas, forty 
leagues further up, for the high waters overflow fo 
furioufly here that they have been four months in 
the water often knee deep outfide of their cabins, 
although the Indians had affured them that this 
place was never inundated. The wheat which had 
been planted here was already quite high when the 
inundations caufed by a furious fwell of the fea in 
the month of Auguft fwept it away. The garden 
was hardly more fucceffful, befides there being a 
great quantity of black fnakes that eat the lettuces 
and other vegetables off to the root. As for fort 
Bilocchi, thirty leagues from here, befides the air 
being better there, the country more open, all kinds 
of garden vegetables can be raifed. The deer are 
near and the hunting very good; and to temper 
the heat, which would be exceffive, every day an 
hour or two before noon there comes a breeze from 
the fea which they call the breeze that cools the 
air. There is only the water that is not very good. 
It is a little fpring that fupplies them ; for that of 
the bay is more than brackifh and is not drinkable. 
This bay, which gives name to the fort, takes its 
own from the Bilocchi Indians, who are neareft to 



154- Father Gravier's Voyage 

it, and is called Bilocchi bay.^^ There are more 
than 120 men in this fort, which is very regular, 
with 1 2 pieces of cannon and as many pedereros 
planted on the baftions. Only boats and the ferry 
boat which carries only a hundred tons can enter 
this bay ; (hips cannot come within five leagues of 
it and remain at anchor before an ifland where there 
is good anchorage and which is called Ship ifland. 
There is no port in all this country except Penfa- 
cola, of which the Spaniards have taken pofTeflion, 
and where they had fettled only three weeks before 
Mr. d' Iberville rdached the coaft. Fort Bilocchi 
is only thirty leagues from the Spanifh fort. The 
governor's enterprife fucceeded badly lafl year. 
Having advanced with two fhips he was furprifed 
to find four large vefTels at the anchorage and a 
ftrong garrifon in the fort. He faid, out of polite- 
nefs to the officers, that he was vifiting the coaft to 
drive ofi^ the Englifh. Mr. d' Iberville, who vifited 
the Miflifiipi, had cautioned them to ad prudently 
with the Spaniards and to receive the governor well 
if he came on board, according to the orders which 
hehimfelfhad received from the court. He was 
regaled magnificently, Vive le Roy dc France, Vive 
leRoy (tEjpagne, Vive Mr. d Iberville, with many a 
falute of the cannon, and on departing he left a 

3* Bilocchi or Biloxi, fo named almoft as unrucccffFul. The Biloxi 

from a tribe fo called, never rose to Indians retired to Pearl river, 

any importance. The pofition was Charlevoix, ii, 449. A remnant 

illchofen; the ground barren and is faid to exift near Natchitoches, 

fhips could not reach it. It was Archaologia Americana, \\, 115. 
finally abandoned for a new Biloxi, 



Down and Up the Mijftjftppi. 155 

letter for Mr. d' Iberville. It was his propofitions 
which he very well knew would be laughed at. 
He had hardly left our fhips when he was ftruck in 
the open fea by a fquall, which made his fhip open 
and go down. He efcaped in a boat with a few of 
his people and returned to our {hips. Our officers 
difplaying more regret than they felt, received him 
perfedly well, generoully fupplied him with every- 
thing and fent him back in a double Hoop [cha- 
loupe double) with all the oars and hats off to 
his fort at Penfacola. At his departure he was 
again faluted by a difcharge of all our artillery.33 
He has been made grand mafter of all the artillery 
of Spain, and his major, who has been made gov- 
ernor, fent a boat to Fort Bilocchi to M. de Sauvol 
to reclaim ten men by the new major, pretending 
that they had deferted, but at bottom it was only 
to examine the fort, which does not fear them, and 
to come and get linen and goods, for they lack every- 
thing. They bought all they found and faid that 
they would return as foon as they knew our veffels 
were in. Although we were fhort of provifions, at 
leaft French flour (for pork, peas and beans are not 
fcarce yet), the governor had the Indian corn hid 
away, and made French bread appear throughout 
the fort; he regaled the major perfectly with poultry, 
fucking pig and venifon, madeira wine. The crew 
was regaled in proportion, and when the major was 
going they gave him all kinds of refreftiments for 

33 Don Andres de Arriok, called Enfayo Cronolcgico, 316, I. 
in the French accounts de la Riole, 



156 Father Graviers Voyage 

his return, and a coftly gun as a prefent to the new- 
governor. 

To go from here to Fort Bilocchi, you muft on 
ftarting make a portage of a 'good eighth of a league 
knee deep in mud and water, and take in a fupply 
of water as much as you need to go to Bilocchi, 
for the little river you meet a quarter of a league 
from here is brackifh, that is to fay it is mingled 
with fait water. It empties into a lake two 
leagues acrofs and after running five or fix leagues 
foutheafi: on the fea along the ifles, you cut north- 
weft ofiF the ifles till feven leagues from the fort, 
when you make the main land which you follow 
to the entrance of Bilocchi bay, in fight of the fort 
where you muft crofs. 

I arrived there on the ift day of the year 1700, 
and was well received by the governor. I found 
Father du Ru there. Befides the funftions of mif- 
fionary he difcharges alfo thofe of chaplain in a very 
edifying manner. I fpent only a week with him, 
and was eleven days in getting here through the 
fault of our guide who loft his way, and made us 
lofe a favorable wind which would have brought 
us to the fort on the third day, but after ufing up 
our half barrel of water we filled it with brackifh 
water, which troubled my canoe men much more 
than me, who accuftom myfelf to drink hardly any 
when traveling. We all had poor fare, for we 
were reduced for four days to Indian corn alone, 
and it was as hard too after boiling all night in this 
fait water as when it was put into the kettle. We 



Down and Up the Mijftjiftppi. 157 

went on the Tea or gulf of Mexico, from ifland to 
ifland, and the further we failed the more we got 
aftray. In this extremity with our water almoft 
out we commended ourfelves to God. I promifed 
to make a novena in honor of St. Francis Xavier 
and to fay mafs in thankfgiving as foon as I reached 
the fort. The next day we reembarked in our ca- 
noe, and at one o'clock in the afternoon we found 
ourfelves at Point Aleri which we had doubled four 
days before, whence we had cut to the iflands off 
fhore. We had made two long croffings of five 
leagues to the S. S. E. and in fight of the woods of 
the Miffiffipi. We at laft, thank God, entered a 
river where we quenched our thirfi: and which led 
us to an eighth of a league from the Mifiiflipi, 
where we arrived fafely and after an eighth of a 
league portage we found ourfelves eight leagues 
from the fort, where we arrived on the eleventh 
day after our departure from Bilocchi. But for the 
protection of St. Francis Xavier, we fhould, I 
believe, have ftill longer cruifed around without 
water. 1 fet out the next day for the Baiougoulas, 
who are forty leagues higher up ; I did there only 
a part of what I had hoped, having found few 
people. God did me the grace to [allow me to] 
baptize a little dying child two years old, to which 
I opened heaven. 

I have been back at this fort for four days. The 
arrival of the veffels expelled from day to day will 
decide me as to what I fhall do, whether I fliall 
await the arrival of Mr. d' Iberville or go up again 



158 Father Gravier's Voyage 

to the Illinois by the lirfl canoes. No fhip can 
enter the MifTiffipi if it draws over nine or ten feet 
water, for there are only eleven at the mouth. 
The entrance once pafTed, there is no fhip but 
can fail far up the river. There are 15 or 16 
fathoms here, mofl: of the ketches which draw only 
nine could go far up, for the Englifh veflel which 
Mr. d' Iberville found lafl year eight leagues from 
here drew ftill lefs. The captain had as his guide 
the Relation of Mr. de la Salle^^ and fome other 
very bad memoirs which mention the mouth of 
this river. This Englifhman who fpoke of it to 
Mr. de Bienville congratulated himfelf on having 
been able to find the entrance of the Miffiffipi, 
about which one of thofe that wrote is an apofi:ate,3s 
who prefented to King William the Relation of the 
Miffiffipi where he never was, and after a thoufand 
falfehoods and ridiculous boafts, pretends to {how 
the juft claims and inconteftable rights which King 
William has over the Miffiffipi, &c. He makes Mr. 
de la Salle appear in his Relation wounded with two 
balls in the head, turn towards the Recoiled: Father 
Anaftafe, to alTc him for abfolution (which he furely 
had not time to do) having been killed ftark dead 
without uttering a word, and other like falfe flories. 

34 The Relation here referred to 35 The work here alluded to is 

is not very evident. La Salle pub- the Nouvelle Decouverte of Henne- 

Hfhed no account perfonally, and pin, the fidlitious charadler of much 

Hennepin, Tonti and Le Clerq, of which has been fhown. There 

were the only publifhed accounts at is nothing in his work to fhow how- 

this date. ever that he left either the Francif- 

can order or the Catholic church. 



Down and Up the Mijftjfippi. 159 

I do not know what the court will decide about 
the Miffiffipi, if no filver mines are found, for it 
does not feek lands to cultivate. There are few 
fpots for more than eighty leagues hence which are 
not inundated at the great overflow of the MilTiffipi. 
They have not yet found the mines they fought ; 
they care little for thofe of lead, which, are very 
abundant near the Illinois and higher up in the 
Miffiffipi on the Scioux fide. There are indeed 
many fouls to gain to Chrift, along the Miffiffipi, 
and ftill more inland and on Red river, but there 
are more people in the fmgle miffion of the Illinois 
than I have feen among the Tounika, Baiougoula 
and Houmas, and than there is among the Biloc • 
chis, among the Colapeiras,^^ and among all the 
Indians of Mobile river who are between Fort Bi- 
locchi and that of the Spaniards, and of the Panfa- 
colas This will not prevent the miffiionaries from 
finding employment in every village, the Indians 
of which feem to me very docile. May it pleafe 
the Lord to fend them men whofe zeal will open 
heaven to them and teach them the way. It is faid 
that afcending the River of the Mobilians, numer- 
ous nations are found, but I have not been there. 

When Mr. de la Salle came by fea to feek the 
mouth of the Miffiffipi he went beyond it without 
perceiving it, till he was fifteen leagues beyond, 
and not wiffiing to appear to have miftaken, he 

36 The ColapifTas have entirely hear and fee," from heklo, to h&ar, 
difappeared. This name is Choftaw and/i/^, to fee. 
and is faid to mean, " Thofe who 



i6o Father Gravier^s Voyage 

pufhed further on to eighty leagues hence, where 
he built a fort, and in the defign of returning 
in triumph to the Illinois, he went from his fort 
to the Senis, inland Indians, and it was from their 
village that Mr. Cavalier, the priefl, fet out after 
his brother's tragic death to return overland to the 
Akanfea and thence in periaugue to the Illinois and 
at laft to Kebec whence he embarked to return to 
France with four others. 

The Spaniards foon after made themfelves maf- 
ters of Mr. de la Salle's fort, in which more than 
150 perfons perifhed of famine and ficknefs. The 
Spaniards took off the reft of the French whom 
they found there and then came to the Senis, where 
they left twenty men with three Francifcans, and 
whence they took two Frenchmen whom they 
found and who are at prefent at Fort Bilocchi.^^ It 
is from thefe two Frenchmen that we have learned 
what became of the fad remnants of Mr. de la Salle's 
great equipment, for he had 400 men when he left 
St. Domingo to feek the mouth of the Miffiffipi. 
It was among the Senis that the murderers of Mr. 
de la Salle made themfelves Indians like them after 
fome of them had killed each other. 

Here is exactly. Reverend Father, the details of 

37 Thefe were apparently Peter fervice. They then returned to 

and John Talon, who reached France and were in 1704, aslber- 

France from Vera Cruz, Sept. 14, ville ftates, " dans la prifon de Por- 

1698, and whofe examination is tugal," whether that means a Portu- 

ftill preferved. Iberville took them guefe prifon or fome prifon at Paris 

out with hrm and they were for bearing that name, 
two years in Louifiana in the King's 



Down and Up the Mijftjffippi, i6i 

my voyage and all that I could learn on my route, 
and of all that I have feen and remarked, and of all 
that I have learned here from Mr. de Bienville, 
Mr. d' Iberville's brother, who has mofl: explored the 
country. I add that it is to the willows and not to 
the mulberries that the filkworms attach themfelves 
and make their cocoons in this country. They 
could not make the firft fettlement in a fpot where 
there are more mufquitoes than here. They are 
here almoft the whole year. In footh they have 
given us little truce for feven or eight days, but at 
this moment they fling me in clofe ranks, and in 
the month of December, when you ought not to 
be troubled by them, there was fuch a furious 
quantity that I could not write a word without hav- 
ing my hands and face covered, and it was impoffi- 
ble for me to fleep the whole night. They flung 
me fo in one eye that I thought I would lofe it. 
The French of this fort told me that from the 
month of March there is fuch a prodigious quantity 
that the air was darkened with them and that they 
could not diftinguifh each other ten paces apart. 

I remain here till the arrival of Mr. d' Iberville, 
as I am in fome fort obliged to ferve as chaplain to 
the French who are in this fort and of whom 
feveral are Canadians. I have much to fuffer from 
thefe importunate infects till the month of May, 
and flill more remounting the river, fmce I fhall 
not be able to do fb till the number is fo great that 
you cannot refl by night nor land by day to cook 
your Indian corn without being devoured by them. 



1 62 Father Graviers Voyage 

BlefTed be God for all. I fhould be content with 
all, coft what it will, provided this voyage of over 
a thoufand leagues which I undertook for the good 
of our upper miflions be of fome ufe to them, as 
well as my delay which has been only the better to 
afTure me of the truth. 

Pray God for us, Reverend Father, and believe 
me with much refpedt in the love of our Lord, 
Reverend Father, 

Your very humble and 

obedient fervant, 
James Gravier. 

Since this letter written a year ago laft February 
(of this prefent year, 1702), the French abandoned 
the two pofts herein mentioned, on the MifTiflipi 
and on Bilocchi bay to fettle at the river called 
Mobile from the name of the Indians who have 
their village called Mobilians. This river enters 
the fea fifteen leagues this fide of Bilocchi. There 
are two illands a fhort diflance from its mouth 
which form a port for fhips, and afcending in boats 
for fourteen leagues on the Mobile you find now a 
regular fort conftrudled by Mr. d' Iberville and 
houfes for the foldiers and for fome French from 
Canada. The foil is very good. The plan of a 
city has been traced, which will be formed of 
French colonies to be fent there if the court thinks 
fit. There are feveral villages of Indians, one, two 
and three days' journey from Fort Mobile, whom 



Down and Up the Mijftjftppi. 163 

the new miffionaries will be able to inftrudt in our 
holy religion. 



NOTE. 

The infcription which F. du Ru put at the foot of the crofs which he 
erefted with Mr. d'Iberville on the banks of the Miffiffippi river, near the 
French fort. 

D. o. ivr. 

The French, as they had firft come here, firft 
from Canada under De la Salle in the year 1682 : 
fecondly from the fame place under de Tonty 
in the year 1685 ; thirdly from the feacoafl: under 
d'Iberville, 1 699 ; fourthly from the fame place 
under the fame leader in the year 1 700, 
planted this crofs February 14 in the fame year 
1700. At the foot whereof an altar being erefted 
a prieft of the fociety of Jefus on the fame day 
and year faid mafs and duly confecrated 
this enclofure for the burial of the dead. 




V. 

GUIGNAS'S VOYAGE 

UP THE MISSISSIPPI, 

1728 



GUIGNAS'S VOYAGE 

UP THE MISSISSIPPI, 



Extrad: from a Letter to the Marquis de 
Beauharnais' by the Reverend Father 
Guignas, Miflionary of the Society of 
jefus, dated from the Miffion of St. 
Michael the Archangel, at Fort Beau- 
harnais, among the Sioux, May 29, 
1728. 

HE Sioux convoy- left the end of Montreal 
^ i Ifland on the i6th of the month of June, 
^ laft year, at 1 1 A. M. and reached Mich- 
ilimackinac the 22d of the month of July. 
This poft is 25 1 leagues from Montreal, almofl 
due weft, at 45° 46m. N. latitude. 

Governor of 




I The ftatement found in many 
works, that the Marquis de Bcau- 
harnais was an illegitimate fon of 
Louis XIV, is unfounded. The 
hufband of Jofephine was not de- 



fcended from the 
Canada! 

2 Under the command of the 
Sieur de Lapcrriere. (iV. Y. Col. 
Doc, ix, 1016.) 



1 68 Father Guignas's Voyage 

We fpent the reft of the month at this poft in 
the hopes of receiving from day to day fome news 
from Montreal, and in the defign of ftrengthening 
ourfelves againft the alleged extreme difficulties of 
getting a free palTage through the Foxes. At laft, 
feeing nothing, we fet out on our march the ift of 
the month of Auguft and after 73 leagues quite 
pleafant fail along the northerly fide of Lake Michi- 
gan, running to the S. E., we reached the Bay^ on 
the 8th of the fame month at 5 1 P. M. This 
poft is at 44° 43 m. north latitude. We ftopped 
there two days, and on the iith in the morning 
we embarked in a very great impatience to reach 
the Foxes. 

On the third day after our departure from the 
Bay, quite late in the afternoon, in fadt fomewhat in 
the night, the chiefs of the Puans'^ came out three 
leagues from their village to meet the French with 
their peace calumets, and fome bear meat as a re- 
frefhment, and the next day we were received by 
that fmall nation [tres pen nombreux) amid feveral 
difcharges of a few guns and amid great demonftra- 
tions of joy. 

They afked us with fo good a grace to do them 
the honor to ftay- fome time with them, that we 
granted them the reft of the day from noon and 
the following day. 

There may be in all in this village fixty to 
eighty men ; but all men and women of very tall 
ftature and well made. They are on the bank of a 

3 Green Bay. 4 Winnebagoes. 



up the Mijfijfippi, 169 

very pretty little lake, in a moft agreeable fpot for 
its fituation and the goodnefs of the foil, nineteen 
leagues from the Bay and eight leagues from the 
Foxes. 

Early the next morning, the 15th of the month 
of Auguft, the convoy prepared to continue its route 
with quite pleafant weather ; but a ftorm coming 
on in the afternoon, we arrived quite wet, ftill in 
the rain, at the cabins of the Foxes, a nation fo 
much dreaded and really fo little to be dreaded. 
From all that we could fee, it is compofed of 200 
men at moft, but there is a perfed hive of children, 
efpecially boys from ten to fourteen years old, well 
made and formed. They are cabined on a little 
eminence on the bank, of a fmall river, that bears 
their name, extremely tortuous or winding, (o 
that you are conftantly boxing the compafs. Yet 
it is apparently quite wide, with a chain of hills on 
both fides, but there is only one miferable little 
channel amid this extent of apparent bed, which is 
a kind of marfh full of rufhes and wild rice of almoft 
impenetrable thicknefs. They have nothing but 
mere bark cabins without any kind of palifade or 
other fortification. As foon as the French canoes 
touched their (hore, they ran down with their peace 
calumets lighted in fpite of the rain, and all fmoked. 

We ftaid among them the reft of this day and 
all the next, to know what were their defigns and 
ideas as to the French poft among the Sioux. The 
Sieur Reaume, interpreter of Indian languages at 
the Bay, adled ^.efficiently there and with devo 



12 



170 Father Guignas's Voyage 

tion to the king's fervice. Even if my teftimony, 
Sir, fhould be deemed not impartial, I muft have 
the honor to tell you that Rev. Father Chardon,^ 
an old milTionary, was of very great afliftance there, 
and the prefence of three mifTionaries who were 
there, reaflured thefe cut throats and ailafrins of the 
French more than all the fpeeches of the beft ora- 
tors could have done. A general council was con- 
vened in one of the cabins, they were addreiTed in 
decent and friendly terms, and they replied in the 
fame way. A fmall prefent was made to them. In 
their fide they gave fome quite handfome difhes 
lined with dry meat. 

On the foMowing Sunday, 17th of the month of 
Auguft, very early in the morning, Father Chardon 
fet out with Sieur Reaume to return to the Bay, 
and the Sioux company greatly rejoiced to have lo 
eafily got over this difficulty, which had every 
where been reprefented as ib infurmoun table, got 
under way to endeavor to reach its journey's end. 

Never was navigation more tedious than what 
we fubfequently made from uncertainty as to our 
courfe. No one knew it, and we got aftray every 
moment on water and on land for want of a guide, 
and pilots. We kept on, as it were, feeling our 
way for eight days, for it was only on the 9th, 
about 3 o'clock P. M. that we arrived by accident, 

5 Rev. John B. Chardon, of the terms, and Charlevoix, who found 

Society of Jcfus, was on the Ottawa him at Green Bay in 1721, docs 

miflion in 1703, and at the Miami the fame. At the time of this nar- 

miflion of St. Jofcph's in 171 1. rative he mufi have been nearly 

Father Marefl fpeaks of him in high thirty years on the Wcftern miflions. 



up the Mijpjftppi, 171 

believing ourfelves ftill far off, at the Portage of the 
Ouifcoufin, which is 45 leagues from the Foxes, 
counting all the twifts and turns of this abominable 
river. This portage is half a league in length, and 
half of that is a kind of marfh full of mud. 

The Ouifcoufin is quite a handfome river, but 
far below what we had been told, apparently 
as thofe who gave the defcription of it in Canada 
faw it only in the high waters of fpring. It is a 
fhallow river on a bed of quickfand which forms 
bars almoft everywhere, and thefe often change 
place. Its fhores are either fteep, bare mountains, 
or low points with fandy bafe. Its courfe is from 
N. E. to S. W. From the portage to its mouth in 
the Miffiffipi, I eftimated 38 leagues. The port- 
age is at 43° 24m. north latitude. 

The Miffiffipi from the mouth of the Ouifcoufin 
afcending goes northweft. This beautiful river 
extends between two chains of high, bare and very 
fterile mountains, conflantly a league, three quar- 
ters of a league, or where it is narroweft half a 
league apart. Its centre is occupied by a chain of 
well wooded iflands, fo that regarding from the 
heights above, you would think you faw an endlefs 
valley watered on the right and left by two large 
rivers ; fometimes, too, you could difcern no river. 
Thefe iflands are overflowed every year and would 
be adapted to raifing rice. Fifty-eight leagues 
from the mouth of the Ouifcoufin, according to 
my calculation, afcending the Miffiffipi is Lake 
Pepin, which is nothing elfe but the river itfelf. 



172 Father Guignass Voyage 

deftitute of illands at that point, where it may be 
half a league wide. This river in what I traverfed 
of it is fhallow and has fhoals in feveral places, be- 
caufe its bed is a moving fand, like that of the 
Ouifcoufin. 

On the 17th of September, 1727, at noon, we 
reached this lake, which had been chofen as the 
bourne of our voyage. We planted ourfelves on 
the fhore about the middle of the north fide on a 
low point where the foil is excellent. The wood 
is very denfe there, but it is already thinned in con- 
fequence of the rigor and length of the winter, 
which has been fevere for the climate, for we are 
here on the parallel oi 43° 41 m. It is true that the 
difference of the winter is great compared to that 
at Quebec and Montreal ; for all that fome poor 
judges fay. 

From the day after our landing we put our axes 
to the wood; on the fourth day following the fort 
was entirely finifhed.^ It is a fquare plat of 1 00 feet, 
furrounded by pickets twelve feet long with two 
good bailions. For {q> fmall a fpace there are large 
buildings, quite diftincfl and not huddled together, 
each 30, 38 and 25 feet long by 16 feet wide. All 
would go well there if the fpot were not inundated ; 
but this year on the 15th of the month of April, 
we were obliged to camp out, and the water afcended 

6 Perrot took poflcnion of Lake exiflcnce of a Fort Perrot at this 

Pepin, May 8, 1689 (fee A£t in time, but his trading port was ef- 

N. Y. Col. Doc, ix, 418), Le tabhOied at a later date in all pro- 

Sueur and the Rev. J. J. Marcft bability. 
being prefent, and fome fuppofe the 



^ up the Mijftjffippi. 173 

to the height of two feet eight inches, in the houfes, 
and it is idle to fay that it was the quantity of 
fnow that fell this year. The fnow in the vicinity 
had melted long before, and there was abfolutely 
only a foot and a half from the 8th of February to 
the 15th of March, all the reft of the winter you 
could not ufe fnow (hoes. 

I have great reafon to think that this fpot is in- 
undated more or lefs every year ; I have always 
thought fo ; but they were not obliged to believe 
me, as old people who faid they had lived fifteen or 
twenty years, declared that it was never overflowed. 
We could not enter our much devaftated houfes till 
the 30th of the fame month of April and the dif- 
order is fcarcely repaired even now.^ 

Before the end of Odtober all the houfes were 
finifhed and furniftied, and each one found himfelf 
tranquilly lodged at home. They then thought 
only of going out to explore the neighboring hills 
and rivers, to fee thofe herds of all kinds of deer, of 
which they tell fuch ftories in Canada. They muft 
have retired or diminifhed greatly fince the time 
that the old voyageurs left the country ; they are no 
longer in fuch great numbers, and are killed with 
difficulty. 

After beating the field for fome time all reaflem- 
bled at the fort, and thought only of enjoying a 
little the fruit of their labors. 

On the 4th of the month of November we did 

6 The waters did not however Col. Doc, jx, lo, i6). 
reach the Fort in 1728. {^N. T. 

X 



174 Father Gtcig7ias's Voyage 

not forget that it was the General birthday.^ Mafs 
was faid for him in the morning, and they were 
well difpofed to celebrate the day in the evening, 
but the tardinefs of the pyrotechnifts and the in- 
conftancy of the weather caufed them to poftpone 
the celebration to the 14th of the fame month, 
when they fet off fome very fine rockets, and made 
the air ring with a hundred fliouts of Vive le Roy 
and Five Charles de'Beauharnois. It was on this 
occaiion that the wine of the Sioux was broached ; 
it was par excellence, although there are no vines 
here finer than in Canada. What contributed much 
to the amufement was the terror of fome cabins of 
Indians, who were at the time around the fort. 
When thefe poor people faw the fireworks in the 
air, and the ftars fall from heaven, the women and 
children began to take flight, and the moft cour- 
ageous of the men to cry mercy and implore us 
very earneftly to flop the lurprifing play of that 
wonderful medicine. 

As foon as we arrived among them, they affembled 
in a few days around the French fort to the num- 
ber of 95 cabins which might make in all 1 50 men ; 
for they are at moft two men in their portable cabins 
of drefled fkins, and in many there is only one. This 
is all that we have feen except a band of about 60 
men, who came on the 26th of the month of 
February, who were of thofe nations called Sioux 
of the Prairies. 

At the end of November the Indians fet out for 
their winter quarters ; they do not indeed go far, and 

7 Or rather Saints' Day, being the feaft of St. Charles Borromeo. 



up the Mijftjftppi. 175 

we faw fome of them all through the winter, but 
from the fecond of the month of April laft, when 
fome cabins repaffed here to go in fearch of them, 
[he] fought them in vain during a week for more 
than fixty leagues up the Miflilfipi. He arrived 
yefterday without any tidings of them. 

Although I faid above that the Sioux were 
alarmed at the rockets, which they took for new 
phenomena, it muft not be fuppofed from that they 
are lefs intelligent than other Indians we know. 

They feem to me more fo, at leaft they are much 
gayer and open apparently and far more dexterous 
thieves, great dancers and great medicine men. 
The men are almoft all large and well made ; but 
the women are very ugly and difgufting, which 
does not however check debauchery among them, 
and is perhaps an efFed: of it.^ 

8 Here, mofl; unfortunately, ends Foxes, and remained a prifoner for 

the extradl from the letter of Father five months, narrowly efcaping a 

Guignas as preferved among the death by torture at the Hake. His 

papers of the Geographer Buache, captors then took him to the Illi- 

and now in the pofleffion of Mr. nois country and left him there on 

Brevoort. The fubfequent events parole till November, 1729, when 

in that region are of great interefl, they led him back to their town, 

and we are efpeeially in the dark as Nothing has yet appeared to fliow 

to the movements of the party at whether he then returned to the 

Fort Beauharnois. In fpite of Fort or whether he made his way 

Guignas' opinion of the Foxes, they to fome other French poft. In 

continued hoftilities, and in 1728, 1736 he again appears on Lake 

the year of this letter, de Ligneris Pepin with M. de St. Pierre, per- 

marched againft them. The traders haps the fame to whom Wafhington 

had previoufly withdrawn to a great at a later date prefented Dinwid- 

extent from Fort Bcauharnois, and die's letter. Father Guignas figned 

Father Guignas in attempting to his name, Louis Ignatius Guignas, 

reach the Illinois country fell into but I have found nothing of his 

the hands of the Mafcoutens and earlier or later hillory. 
Kickapoos, who fided with the 



APPENDIX. 



FTER the firft fheets of this volume were 
printed, I received ThomafTy's Geologie Pra- 
tique de la Louifiane^ which contains the ori- 
ginal of the following extradl from a 



Letter of Mr, de la Salle to the Marquis de 
S eigne I ay. 




I 



Western Mouth of the River Colbert, 

March 4, 1685. 
My Lord : 

.... The feafon being far advanced and feeing 
that very little time was left me to accomplifh the 
enterprize I had undertaken, I refolved to afcend 
this channel of the river Colbert, rather than return 
to the more confiderable one, diftant twenty-five or 
thirty leagues from here northwefterly, which we had 
remarked on the 6th of January, but had been unable 
to recognize, believing from the ftatement of the pilots 
of his majefty's veflel and ours, that we had not yet 
pafTed Efpiritu Santo Bay (that of Mobile) ; but at 
laft, after conftantly coafting along very near land and 
in good weather, the latitude made us perceive that 
they were miftaken, and that what we had feen on the 
iixth of January was in fad the main entrance of the 
river that we were feeking. If fpring had not been fo 
near, I would have gone back. Fear of fpending the 



178 Appeiidix, 

reft of the winter in running eaftward, from which 
diredion the winds blow almoll: conftantly, and drive 
the current weftward, made me refolve to afcend the 
river here, and to afk Mr. de Beaulieu' to go and re- 
connoitre that other mouth to give an account of it to 
your Lordfhip. This one is fituated at 28° 18' or id 
N. latitude : the channel is wide and deep within the 
bar, there being almoft everywhere five or fix fathoms 
of water. It is true that there are only two fathoms 
on the higheft bank, at leaft at this feafon, when the 
river being frozen in all its branches has too little force 
to clear the channel and drive back the fand which the 
fea continually throws in. It is alfo to be remarked 
that when the wind has been long blowing off fhore, 
the water diminifhes fo that fometimes there remain 
only ten feet on the bar, as we remarked the day our 
four pilots founded there, of which they drew up a 
ftatement. But when the water is driven back by 
winds from the gulf, there is as much as thirteen feet 
of water, efpecially at the new moons, when the tides 
are greateft at leaft in winter. Thefe two channels 
iffue from a very long and very wide bay into which 
the river Colbert empties. The water is as fait as that 
of the fea. There is a tide there, and as you cannot 
fee acrofs, it was eafy for me to be deceived on landing 
and to take for fea this expanfe of fait water, of which 
we could not fee the end and which I could not crofs 
having only bark canoes. This kind of fandy ifland 
which lies between the fea and this fait lake, ftopping 

1 The Count de Beaujeu, who the St. Louis, bearing the Marfhil 
bears much of the blame of La Count de Tourville. His nephew, 
Salle's difafter (ante p. 17, 19), was Daniel Lienard de Beaujeu, com- 
a naval officer of diftinftion. At the mandcd the French force which de- 
battle of La Hoguc, he commanded feated Braddock. 



Appendix. lyq 

the force of the waves, the river has nothing to check 
its courfe, when it empties into it, and feems to form 
a very good port. But the channels by which it 
reaches the fea are not fo healthy on account of the 
fand that the wind drives in. 




INDEX. 



A CANSEAS, 69, 72, 74, 75», 

^83. 

Akanfcas, 47. 

Akanfeas, 79, 120, 125, 126. 

Akafquy, tribe mentioned by Cave- 
lier, 39. 

Alakea, tribe mentioned by Cave- 
lier, 39. 

Alexander, brother, 56, 83, 85. 

Alligator, account of, 39, 131. 

Anamis, tribe mentioned by Cavc- 
lier, 40; village burnt, 41. 

Apkaw, 52. 

Arkanfas (fee Acanfeas, Akanfcas, 
Akanfeas, Kappa, Quappaws, 
Sauthouis, &c.); a Dacotah tribe, 
75//; divifions, 76/?, 131; driven 
from the Ohio, 120/?; firft vifit- 
ed by Marquette, 126; byTonty 
and Montigny, 70 ; wafted by 
fmall pox, 72 ; defcription of 
village, 74 ; Gravier among the, 
125, 131. 

Arriola, Don Andres, vifits French, 
154; accident to, 155. 

Aflinais or Senis, Texas Indians, 3 I. 

Afliniboils, account of, 106. 

Aveneau, Rev. Claude, 115, ii6». 

Ayavois (lowas), 101-107. 



t> AHAMOS, Texas Indians, 2 i;r. 

■^ Baiougoulas, account of, 150^; 
maflacre Mongoulachas, 1 50 ; 
promife to rebuild chapel, 1 5 1 ; 
cuftoms of, 152; Gravier bap- 
tizes a child of the, 157. 

Barr, Capt., enters the Miflifllppi, 

Bear, Illinois chief, oppofes Mon- 

tigni, 61. 
Beauharnois, Marquis de, 167. 
Beaujeu, Count de, commands fleet 

carrying La Salle, 17, 178; leaves 

him, 19. 
Beaulieu, M. de, 178. 
Bergier, Rev. J., (ketch of, iijn. ; 

at Tamarois, 1 17. 
Beftikwi (Piftakee), 51. 
Bienville, M. de, notice of, 148/?. 
Bilocchi Indians, 153, 154^. 
BiIoxi,9i, 150; new and old, I54«.; 

Gravier's vifit to, 156. 
Black river, 97^?. 
Blue or Blue Earth River, 10 1-2. 
Bon Secours River, 97. 
Bracamos, Texas Indians, attack La 

Salle, 20, 30; makepeace, 21, 22. 
Buache, I75». 
Buffalo river, 97/?. 
Buinateau, Rev. J., 53/?, 53, 64. 



l82 



Indt 



ex. 



/^ADDODAOUIOS, 149. 

^^ Cadogdachos, Texas Indians, 
3i», 149. 

Cahokias, 49, 62, 66-7, 118. 

Cailliere, Chev, de la, 90. 

Calumet, dance of, 71 ; Gravier's 
account of, 128-9; meaning of 
word, 130. 

Canohatinno, 36;?. 

Caoukias, 62, 66-7. 

Cap St. Antoine, 68. 

Cape St. Croix, 1 19. 

Carancagues, deftroy La Salle's party 
in Texas, 42;?. 

Carrechias (Cahokias), 62, 66-7. 

Cafquinambo (TennefTee), 1 24. 

Catillon, on Texan pearls, 23. 

Cavelier, Rev. John, notice of, 1 5/? ; 
his account of La Salle's laft voy- 
age, 1 3-42 ; Joutel's remarks on, 
29 ; Gravier's allufion to, 160. 

Cavelier, Robert, fee La Salle (de). 

Cavvechias (i. e. Cahokias), 66. 

Chabot, Pierre, 122. 

Champigny, M. de, 90. 

Chaouanoua (Shavvnees), 120, 125. 

Charanon (Shawnee), Son, 66. 

Charbonneau, 57, 64. 

Chardon, Rev J. B,, 170. 

Chefde-bois, roadftead near Ro- 
chelle, 17. 

Chegoimegon, 89». 

Chekaihas (i.e. Chekachas or Chick- 
afaws), 60. 

Chicachas, 60, 70. 

Chicago, 49, 51, 84, 85, 115; 
early notices of, 49^ ; Jefuit mif- 
fion at, 53, 55, 115; country 
from Tamarois, 85. 

Chicagoua, 115. 

Chingouabe, 90. 

Chippeway river, gjn. 



Chippeways, 89;?, 90. 

Chouanon (Shawnees), 66. 

Chriftinaux, accouniof, 106. 

Ciofcate, 90. 

Colapeflas, 159. 

Colbert river, fee Miffiflippi, 177. 

Comanches, 93/7. 

■pj'AIRE, Chevalier, Beaujeu's 

"■^ lieutenant, 19. 

Dakotas, 89^. 

Davion, Rev. Anth., 52 ; notice of, 

55»; founds Tonicamiflion, 75 ; 

vifited by Gravier, 132; by St. 

Cofme, 136. 
De Ligncris, ij^n. 
Del Norte, Rio, 25, 26. 
De Muys, M., 54, 149/?. 
Defloges, killed in Texas, 20/?. 
D'Iberville expeftcd at the mouth 

of the MiiTiffiippi, 85. 
Dinwiddic, 175/?. 
Donge, Rev. , dies in Louifia- 

na, 1 1 %n. 
Douay, Rev. Anaftafius, 15, 42/7. 

PARTHQUAKE, 70. 

Englifh among Arkanfas, 1 26. 
Efpiritu Santo Bay, 18, 177. 
Efpiritu Santo (Galvefton) bay, 21. 

PEVER River, 94^?. 
Folks Avoines, 48. 
Fort Beauharnais, 167, 172. 
Fort Bilocchi, Gravier's account of, 

156; vifit to, 156; abandoned, 

162. 
Fort of the Miffiflippi, account of, 

152; abandoned, 162. 
Fort Mobile, 162. 
Fort Perrot, 172/f. 



Index, 



183 



Fort Prud'homme, why fo called, 

123. 
Fort St. Louis, built by La Salle, 20 ; 

furvivors of maflacrc at, 160. 
Fort of St. Louis Bay, 20, 160. 
Foxes, 48 ; Guignas's account of, 

169 ; war with, 175/?. 

^^OLD in Texas, 26. 

^"^ Grapes, 124. 

Gravier, Rev. James, fketch of, 

1 1 5» ; voyage down the MiHif- 

fippi, 1 13-163; loft near Biloxi, 

156. 
Green bay, tribes on, 48, 168. 
Guignas, Rev. L. L, fketch of, 1 75^; 

voyage to Lake Pepin, 165-175, 

OEBAHAMOS, z\n. 

Hemme, Louis de, 12 1. 

Hennepin, allufion to, 158. 

Hiambouxeate Onataba, 99. 

Hinhanetons, Sioux, iii. 

Houmas, 143/? ; miffion founded by 
du Ru, 118; his chapel, 144; 
Gravier's account of 143 ; trea- 
chery of Tonicas to. Sow, 143/?; 
games, 143 ; temple, 144; chief- 
tanefs, 144; Father de Limoges 
begins his miffion, 145 ; poultry, 
146; cuftoms, 147; allies of 
Mongoulachas, i 50. 

IBERVILLE, notice of, 140;?; ex- 
peded, 85 ; kinfman of Le Sueur, 
89^ ; leaves a man at Natchez, 
140; inftruftions as to Span- 
iards, 154. 

Illinois river, 84. 



Indian tribes : 
Acanfeas, 69-83. 
Ahijitos, 31/7. 
Akafquy, 39. 
Alakea, 39. 

Arkanfas, 47, 69-83, 120-6. 
Affinals, 31/?. 
Affinipoils, 106. 
AfTonis, 139/?. 
Ayavois-, 101-7. 
Bahamos, 21/7. 
Baiougoulas, 150-2, 157. 
Bracamos, 20, 21, 30. 
Cadogdachos, 31W, 149;/. 
Cahokias, 49Z?, 61-7. 
Canohatinno, 36^. 
Carancagucs, 42;?. 
Cafquinambo, i z\n. 
Charanon, 60. 
Chicachas, 60, 70. 
Chouanon, 66. 
Chriftinaux, 106. 
Coenis, 31. 
Folks Avoines, 48. 
Foxes, 48, 169, I75». 
Hebahamos, z\n. 
Houmas, 8o», iig, 140-150. 
Illinois, 49«. 
lowas, loi^". 
Jakous, 133. 
Kadodakio, 149. 
Kanoutinoa, 36. 
Kappas, 70. 
Karkinonpols, 60. 
Kalkafkia, 49/7, 116, 150. 
Kavvkias, 61, 6"]. 
Kickapoos, 95, I75«. 
Kiouahaa, 149. 
KolapifTas, 150, 159. 
Kouaras, i\n. 
Mahas, 107. 



184. 



Index. 



Indian tribes : 

Mantantons, 105-111. 
Mafcoulens, 50, 92, ijjff. 
Mendeouacantons, 104, ill. 
Menomonees, 48;/. 
Metchigameas, 49/;. 
Moingonas, 49;/. 
Mongoulachas, 150. 
Motarftins, 50. 
Mouingouena, 1 1 6. 
Nacogdoches, 3i«. 
Nadocogs, 3i». 
Nagcodoches, 3i«. 
Naflbnis, 31/?. 
Natchitos, 149//. 
Natfohos, 149W. 
Navedachos, 3i«. 
Noquets, 48. 
Ontotonta, 28^ loi. 
Otodatas, 104. 
Ottawas, 45-7. 
Ottoes, 1 01/.'. 
Oujalefpoitous, 104, iii< 
Oumas, 1 i8v. 
Ounfpik, 133. 
Ozages, 74. 
Paducahs, 93. 
Palomas or Palonas, 38. 
Panifmaha, 28. 
Paoutees, 93. 
Peanzichias, 58. 
Penoy, 39. 
Peorias, 49;?, 59 
Peouaroua, 1 1 6. 
Poutouatamis, 49. 
Puants, 48, 168. 
Quanoatinno, 36. 
guapaws, 70. 
guaras, 34/7. 
Quelanhubechcs, ziti. 
Quinets, 2i». 
Sacs, 49. 



Indian tribes : 

Saflbry, 39. 

Sauteux, 90. 

Sauthouis, -jG, 131. 

Senis, 31^?, 149, 160. 

Shawnees, 24-9, 60, 120. 

Sioux, 90-3, 101-3, '•^> '67' 

Sioux of the Prairies, 1 74. 

Sitteoui, 131. 

Songafquitons, in. 

Sonontouans, 69. 

Tamarois, 49^, 66. 

Texas, 3 iff. 

Ticapanas, 35. 

Tintangaonghiatons, in. 

Tipoy, 40. 

Tonica, Toumika, Tounika, 133 

Toriman, 76, 126, 131. 

Touchouaefintons, in. 

Toyengan, 76. 

Tyakappan, 35. 

Winnebagoes, 48, 168. 

Xaranamas, 34/?. 
Indians of Lower Mifliffippi, 157. 
Infcription fet up by Iberville, 163. 
Inyanbofndata, 99. 
lowas, 101. 
Iron mines, 122. 

JAKOU, Indians, 133. 
Jefuit miflions ,Michilimakinac, 
46; Green Bay, 49; Chicago, 
52; Illinois, 59; Houmas, 80. 
Joutel cited, 17-42 ; remark on 
Cavelier, 29». 

T/" ADODAKIOS, 149. 

■^•^Kankakee river, 57. 
Kanoutinoa, Texas Indians, 36». 
Kaoukia, 118; fee Cahokia. 
Kappas, Arkanfas, 70 ; village, 72 ; 
aid Lymoges, 125; Gravier at. 



Index. 



i8s 



126; crofs planted at by Mon- 
tigny, 126; remember Mar- 
quette, 128. 

Karkinonpols, 60; fee Cafquinambo. 

Kafkafkias, IlJinois tribe, 49W ; re- 
moval of, 116; form a village 
with Peorias, 150. 

Kavvchias, (tj \ fee Cahokias. 

Kickapoos, join Foxes, I75»} take 
Guignas prifoner, ib. 

Kiouahaa, 149. 

Kipikawi or Kipikufkwi, 50, 52. 

Kolapiflas, allies of Mongoulachas, 
150, 159. 

Kouaras, Texas tribe, 34. 

T A Crofle river, 95». 
^^ Lake Michigan, 47, 52, 168. 
Lake Pepin, 98 ; fettlement on, 1 72. 
Lamberville, Rev. J., letter to, 115. 
La Perriere eflablilhes Fort Beau- 

harnais, 167. 
La Place, 100. 
La Pointe, Auguftin, 121. 
La Salle, Robert Cavelier de, fketch 

of, 1 5^ ; his lad voyage, 13-42 ; 

mifles mouth of MiiTiffippi, 20; 

letter to Seignelay, 177; builds 

fort in Texas, 20, 160 ; attempts 

to reach Miffiflippi, 23 ; reaches 

it according to Cavelier, 29 ; 

fecond expedition, 3 1 ; third, 34; 

whirlpool defcribed by, 137; 

channel mentioned by, 1 5 1 ; 

death, 158. 
La Vaca river, its names, zon ; La 

Salle's fort at mouth, 20. 
La Violette, marries an Illinois 

fquaw, 63. 
Le Clercq cited, 29». 
Le Sueur's voyage up the Miffiffippi, 

87-111; account of, 89»; I72«; 



kinfman of Iberville, ib ; meets 

war party, 96; meets Sioux, 100; 

fettles on • the Mankato, 101 ; 

Tiofcate's relatives, 107; aflem- 

bles Sioux, 108. 
L'huillier, M., aflays copper, 105. 
Lymogcs, Rev. Jofeph de,' 1 1 8; peril 

of, 125, 128, 147; his Houma 

miffion, 146-7. 

VfAHAS, 107. 

Mankato river, loi. 

Mantantous Sioux, kill French, 105, 
109, no. III. 

Marais, or Marays, Rev. . 1, 50, 
59. See Mareft. 

Marameg R., 11 9^. 

Mareft, Rev. G,, 50, 59, 92, 1 16 ; 
follows Kafkaflcias, 1 1 7. 

Mareft, Rev. J., at Lake Pepin, 172. 

Marquette, Rev. J., explores Mif- 
fiflippi, 126; at Arkanfas, ibj 
vifit.recollefted, 128. 

Mafcoutins, 50, 92, 175/f. 

Maflacre river, 58. 

Matagorda bay, z\n. 

Mecontins, 92. 

Melwarik, 50. 

Mendeouacantons, Sioux, 104, 105, 
no, ni. 

Monomonees, \%n. 

Metchigamias, or Michigamias, Illi- 
nois tribe, 49^?, 67, 92, n 8, 1 27. 

Miamis, river of the, 46 j hoftility 
of, 84, 85 ; their name for the 
Ohio, 120. 

Miaramigoua river, np. 

Michigan lake, 47, 52. 

Michillimakinac, 45, 79, n 5, 1675 
Guignas at, 168. 

Miefttgan, lake, 47, 5 a, 

Milwaukee, 50. 



i86 



Index. 



Mifligan lake, 52. 

MifliHippi or Colbert river, 177; 
La Salle's attempt to reach, 13-42; 
reaches it, 29 ; St. Cofme's voyage 
down, 43-75 ; routes to, 49 ; 
Le Sueur's voyage up, 87-1 1 1 ; 
Gravicr's voyage down, 1 13-164; 
Guignas's, 165-175; St. Cofme's 
defcription, 65 ; Gravier's, i 5 1-2; 
Guignas's, 171. 

Miflburi river, 65. 

Mobile, French fettle at, 162. 

Mobile bay, 177. 

Mobilians, 159, 162. 

Moingonas, Illinois tribe, 49. 

Mongoulachas, maflacred by Baiou- 
golas, 150. 

Monjolly, now Mount Jolliet, legend 
as to, 56. 

Montigny, Rev. F. J. de, fketch of, 
52»; baptizes La Violette's child, 
63 ; letter of, 75 ; baptizes a 
Tonica chief, 78, 81 ; falls fick, 
82; returns, 83; at Chicago, 
84; crofs planted by, 119; goes 
to Siam, 140, or China, 52». 

Montreal, 167. 

Moranget, La Salle's nephew, 31,34 

Morfi, Rev. John A., hiftorian of 
Texas, Z2n. 

Motardins (Mafcoutins), 50. 

Mouingouena, Illinois, 116. 

Mud lake, 54». 

Mufquitoes, 161. 

"J^ACOGDOCHES, Texas In- 
■^"^ dians, 31^. 
Nadocogs, Texas Indians, 3i». 
Nagcodoches, Texas Indians, 31^. 
Naflbnis, Texas Indians, 3i«. 
Hatches, 76; (ketch of, 142^; 
cuftoms, 82,136, 140; language 



fame as Taenfas, 16, 136; Gra- 
vier's account of, 1 36. 
Navedachos, Texas Indians, 3i«. 

/^HIO river, 69; river of the 
Arkanfas, 75 ; Gravier's ac- 
count of, 1 20. 
Oiitotontas, 28, 1 01. 
Oris, Mr., killed, ion. 
Otchagras, 48. 
Otoftates, 1 01, 104, 107. 
Otontanta, loi. 
Ottawas (Outdaois, Outbuaoua), 

45. 47,85. 
Ottoes, \o\n. 
Ouabachi (Ohio) river, 119, 120, 

122. 
Ouacantapai, 103, 107, 109, no. 
Ouachil Tamail, Natchez chief- 

tainefs, 141. 
Ouadebatons, Sioux, in. 
Ouaetemanetons, Sioux, ni. 
Ouaepatons, Sioux, n i . 
Ouapeontetons, Sioux, ni. 
Ouefconfm (Wifconfm), 95. 
Oughetgeodatons (Sioux), 1 1 1 
Ouifconfin, 171. 
Oujalefpoitous, 104, 107, ni. 
Oumas, 143/Z. See Houmas. 
Oumiamis, 120. See Miamis. 
Ounfpik, 133. 
Oufitteoui, Arkanfas, 131. 
Outagamis (Foxes), 94, 98. 
Ozages, 74. 

pADOUCAS, 93/7. 
-'• Palomas or Palonas, 38. 
Panifmaha (Pawnees), 28. 
Paouiongha, Indian name of Father 

de Lymoges, 125. 
Paoutecs, 93. 
Paranas, ^\n. 



Index. 



187 



Peanzichias (Piankeflias), 58. 

Pelicans, 69. 

Peniteni (Peorias), 65. 

Penoy, 39. 

Penfacola fettled, 1 54. 

Peorias, 49», 59, 65 ; form a vil- 
lage with Kafkaflcias, 150. 

Peouaroua, 1 50W. 

Permavcvi (Peoria), 59, 

Perrot, not at Chicago, 5l». 

Petcfcouy, 51^?. 

Petit Goavc, 17, 18. 

Pctrifadions, 123. 

Piefa, 66. 

Pimiteouy, 65Z?. 

Pinet, Rev. F., notice of, 53^, 59, 
117. 

Piftakee, Pifticoui, 51^. 

Pointe aux Iroquois, 45. 

Pointc Aleri, 157, 

Pointe Couple, 131. 

Poutcouatami, Poux, 49, 94. 

Pfinchatons, Sioux, iii. 

Pfinontanhinhintons, ill. 

Pfioumanitons, in. 

Puans (Winncbagoes),Baiedes, 48, 
94,95, 168. 

QUANOATINO, 36/7. 
Qua paws, fee Kappas. 
Quaras, 34;?. 

Quebec, 78, 84, 160, 172. 
Quelanhubeches, 21;?. 
Quincapous, 92; river of the, 95. 
Quinets, z\n. 
Quiopetons, Sioux, in. 

ID ACINE, or Root river, ^on.. 

Racoon river, 95^. 
Reaume, Sieur, 169. 
Red river, 97, 148; tribes on, 148. 
Regis, St. John Francis, 120, I2i». 
Riviere a Mayot, 124-5 ; why fo 
called, 124. 



Riviere a la Mine, 94. 

Riviere aux Ailcs, 96. 

Riviere aux Boeufs, 93. 

Riviere aux Canots, 95. 

Riviere des Paquilinettcs, 97. 

Riviere des Raifms, 97. 

Riviere Cachee, 95. 

Rochellc, 16, 91. 

Rouenfas, Illinois chief, 60. 

Ru, Rev. du, 118; founds Houma 
miiTion, 144; at Fort Biloxi, 
156; infcription fet up by, 163. 

CT. Cofme, Rev. J. F. B. de, no- 

^ tice of, 45;?. ; Voyage down the 
Miffiffippi, 43-75; returns to 
fearch for loft boy, 55, 85 ; at 
Tamarois, 84-5 ; Natchez, 136. 

St Croix river, 100. 

St. Denis, Juchereau de, 149, 

St. Francis river, 125. 

St. Jofeph's river (Ohio), 120. 

St. Louis (Matagorda) bay, 21. 

St. Michael, miffion of, 167. 

St. Peter's river, loi. 

St. Pierre, M. de, at Lake Pepin, 

175- 

Salt river, 93^?. 

Sangieftas, 92. 

Saquis (Sacs), 94. 

Saflbry Indians, 39. 

Sauteux (Chippewas), 89, 90, 

Sauthouis ( Atotchafi, Ofotonoy, &c) 
Arkanfas Indians, 76, 131. 

Scioux (Dakotas), 90-3 ; divifions, 
101-2, 1 1 1, 174; manners, 103; 
miffion, 167. 

Senis, La Salle vifits, 31, 160; di- 
vifions, 3i»; reception of Cave- 
lier, 41. 

Shawnees, lead La Salle to the Mif- 
fiffippi, 24, 29 ; on the Tennef- 
fee, 1 20 ; fee 60, 66. 



i88 



Index. 



Ship ifland, 154, 
Silkworms, 161. 
Sitteoiii, Arkanfas, 131. 
Small pox, 72. 
Songafquitons, Sioux, iii, 
Sonontouans (Scnecas), 69. 
Spaniards, early traces in Texas, 2 1 ; 
Spanifh, Indians fpeaking, 37. 
Stag iftand, 56. 

npAENSAS, 76, 81 ; temple, 77; 
-*• cuftoms, 77, 82, 86; good to 

be done, 84 ; language fame as 

Natchez, 76, 136; temple burnt, 

137; cruelties, 137. 
Talon, Peter and John, furvjvors 

of La Salle's party, 160. 
Tamarois, Illinois tribe, 49;?, 66, 

6j, 92 ; St. Cofme founds miflion 

at, 76, 84; large village, 84; 

Scioux killed at, 93 ; Pinet and 

Bergicr at, 117, 118. 
Tamarouha, Tamarois, 1 1 7. 
Taogarois or Taogria, 1 24. 
Tealiki (Theakiki) river, 57. 
Tenneflee river, 1 2on, 1 24». 
Texas, La Salle lands in, 19; fort 

in 20; winds, 22; pearls, 23; 

hoftility of Indians, 26 ; Indians, 

3i». 
Thaumur de la Source, 86» ; Letter 

of, 79 ; at Tamarois, 85. 
Ticapanas, or Tyakappan, 35. 



Tintangaonghiatons, ill. 

Tiofcate, death of 90; relatives 
meet Le Sueur, 107. 

Tipoy Indians, 40. 

Tivet, complains to Tonty, 62. 

Tonicas, early notice of, 80;/.; mif- 
fion at, 75, 81 J cuftoms, 77, 80, 
85* ^33; baptifm of chief, 78, 
81 ; foil and climate, 78, 80, 
135; good to be done, 84 ; 
Gravier at, 132; St. Cofme, 1 36. 

Tonty, Henry de, accompanies 
Montigny, 46 ; eulogium, 47 ; 
overawes the Bear, 61 ; accufed 
by Indians, 6z; work afcribed to, 

139- 
Toriman, Arkanfas, 76; chief meets 

Gravier, 126, 131. 
Touchouaefintons, 1 1 1. 
Toumika, 131; fee Tonica. 
Tounika, 132; fee' Tonica. 
Tourima, 131 ; fee Toriman. 
Toyengan, Tongenga, Topinga, 

Arkanfas, 76. 

A/'^NCENNES, Sieur de, with 
St. Cofme, 46, 50. 

Tl/'ABACHE (Ohio), 69. 
^^ Wazi Ozu, 97. 
Winnebagoes or Puants, 48, 168. 
Wifconfin river, 49, 95, 171. 

VARANAMES, 34^. 



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